triethylamine: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowTechnical / Scientific
Quick answer
What does “triethylamine” mean?
A colourless, volatile, flammable tertiary amine with a strong, fishy, ammoniacal odour, used as a base and catalyst in chemical synthesis.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A colourless, volatile, flammable tertiary amine with a strong, fishy, ammoniacal odour, used as a base and catalyst in chemical synthesis.
An organic compound with the formula N(CH₂CH₃)₃, commonly abbreviated as Et₃N. It is a liquid at room temperature and is a common reagent in organic chemistry for deprotonation and as a non-nucleophilic base.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or usage differences. Potential minor differences in preferred abbreviations (e.g., TEA) or pronunciation.
Connotations
Purely technical term with identical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare outside of chemistry in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “triethylamine” in a Sentence
[Material] is treated with triethylamine[Reaction] is catalysed by triethylamineTriethylamine is added to [solution/reaction mixture]Triethylamine reacts with [acid]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “triethylamine” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The triethylamine-catalysed reaction proceeded smoothly.
- A triethylamine solution was prepared.
American English
- The triethylamine-catalyzed reaction proceeded smoothly.
- A triethylamine solution was prepared.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in procurement, safety data sheets, and manufacturing specifications for pharmaceuticals or fine chemicals.
Academic
Commonly used in research papers, laboratory protocols, and organic chemistry textbooks describing synthetic methods.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
The primary context. Used in chemical engineering, synthetic organic chemistry, and industrial process descriptions.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “triethylamine”
- Misspelling as 'triethylamin' (missing 'e').
- Confusing it with 'trimethylamine' (a related compound).
- Incorrectly using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a triethylamine') – it is typically a mass noun.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is flammable, corrosive, and has toxic fumes. It requires careful handling in a fume hood with appropriate personal protective equipment.
It has a strong, unpleasant odour often described as fishy or ammoniacal.
Its primary use is as a base in organic synthesis to deprotonate acids and to catalyse reactions like the formation of esters or amides. It is also used as a corrosion inhibitor and in the production of quaternary ammonium compounds.
It is miscible with water to some extent but forms a separate layer in concentrated solutions. It is a weak base, so it forms triethylammonium hydroxide in water.
A colourless, volatile, flammable tertiary amine with a strong, fishy, ammoniacal odour, used as a base and catalyst in chemical synthesis.
Triethylamine is usually technical / scientific in register.
Triethylamine: in British English it is pronounced /trʌɪˌɛθɪləˈmiːn/, and in American English it is pronounced /traɪˌɛθələˈmiːn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: TRI (three) + ETHYL (the ethyl group, CH₂CH₃) + AMINE (nitrogen compound). 'Three ethyl groups attached to an amine nitrogen.'
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'triethylamine' most commonly used?