Tetraethylammonium Chloride Property

Melting point:

39°C

Boiling point:

273.32°C (rough estimate)

Density 

1.08

refractive index 

1.5480 (estimate)

storage temp. 

Inert atmosphere,Room Temperature

solubility 

methanol: 0.1 g/mL, clear, colorless

form 

Crystalline Powder

color 

white to light yellow

PH

4.0 to 7.0(50g/L, 25℃)

Water Solubility 

Soluble in water, ethanol, chloroform, or acetone

λmax

λ: 260 nm Amax: 0.03
λ: 280 nm Amax: 0.03

Sensitive 

Hygroscopic

Merck 

14,9200

BRN 

3563247

Stability:

Stable. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents. Protect from moisture.

InChIKey

YMBCJWGVCUEGHA-UHFFFAOYSA-M

CAS DataBase Reference

56-34-8(CAS DataBase Reference)

EPA Substance Registry System

Tetraethylammonium chloride (56-34-8)

Safety

Hazard Codes 

Xn,Xi

Risk Statements 

22-36/37/38

Safety Statements 

26-36-37/39

WGK Germany 

3

RTECS 

BS6125000

F 

3-10

TSCA 

Yes

HS Code 

29239000

Toxicity

LD50 i.v. in dogs: 55.7-72.4 mg/kg (Keith, Jr.)

Hazard and Precautionary Statements (GHS)

Symbol(GHS)

Signal word

Warning

Hazard statements

H315Causes skin irritation

H319Causes serious eye irritation

Precautionary statements

P264Wash hands thoroughly after handling.

P264Wash skin thouroughly after handling.

P280Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection.

P302+P352IF ON SKIN: wash with plenty of soap and water.

P305+P351+P338IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continuerinsing.

P332+P313IF SKIN irritation occurs: Get medical advice/attention.

P337+P313IF eye irritation persists: Get medical advice/attention.

Tetraethylammonium Chloride Chemical Properties,Usage,Production

Chemical Properties

Tetraethylammonium Chloride is a white crystalline powder. The solubility is 1000000 mg/L at 25 °C.

Uses

Medicine (nerve-blocking agent).

Uses

Tetraethylammonium Chloride can be used as a source of tetraethylammonium ions for various pharmaceutical studies and has the ability to block K+ channels in various tissues. Tetraethylammonium Chloride can also block the transmission of nervous impulses across autonomic ganglions.

Uses

Tetraethylammonium chloride (TEAC) has been used:

• used for inhibition of peroxynitrite induced relaxation in rat aorta rings
• as a pharmacological blocker of K⁺ current and Ca²⁺ induced K⁺ current in antennal lobe neurons
• for the induction of TEAC sensitive currents in cochlear inner hair cells digested with proteolytic enzymes and analyze its properties

Definition

ChEBI: Tetraethylammonium chloride is a quarternary ammonium chloride salt in which the cation has four ethyl substituents around the central nitrogen. It has a role as a potassium channel blocker. It is a quaternary ammonium salt and an organic chloride salt. It contains a tetraethylammonium.

General Description

Visit our Sensor Applications portal to learn more.

Hazard

Tetraethylammonium Chloride is a strong irritant to the skin and eyes and may be harmful to the heart and central nervous system. Oral, intraperitoneal and intramuscular lethal dose studies in mice and rats caused drowsiness, tremors and muscle weakness; intravenous injection of 5 mg/kg in humans caused paralysis, mydriasis and ptosis.

Biological Activity

Non-selective K + channel blocker.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Tetraethylammonium chloride (TEAC) blocks K+ channels non-specifically. In rat aorta rings, tetraethylammonium inhibits relaxation induced by peroxynitrite. It blocks nicotinic acetylcholine neurotransmission by blocking the receptor-mediated K+ currents. TEAC can increase the contractility and mobility of colon and rectum and is a therapeutic option for Hirschsprung′s disease patients. TEAC reduces the inflammatory responses, improves cardiac, vascular and hemodynamic properties during early sepsis in animals. TEAC has cytotoxic and anti-proliferative potential and induces apoptosis in glioma cells by downregulating B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and upregulating Bcl-2 associated X (Bax).

in vitro

tetraethylammonium (tea) is a small ion that is thought to block open k channels by binding either to an internal or to an external site. for this reason, it has been used to probe the ion conduction pathway or pore of k channel mutants and a k channel chimera. tea blocks k+ channels at two sites, which define the inner and outer mouths of the channel pores [1].

in vivo

vasorelaxant effect of taurine can be diminished by tea in rat isolated arteries [2]

storage

Room temperature (desiccate)

Purification Methods

Crystallise the chloride from EtOH by adding diethyl ether, from warm water by adding EtOH and diethyl ether, from dimethylacetamide or from CH2Cl2 by addition of diethyl ether. Dry it over P2O5 in vacuum for several days. It also crystallises from acetone/CH2Cl2/hexane (2:2:1) [Blau & Espenson J Am Chem Soc 108 1962 1986, White & Murray J Am Chem Soc 109 2576 1987]. [Beilstein 4 IV 332.]

References

[1] taglialatela m, vandongen am, drewe ja, joho rh, brown am, kirsch ge. patterns of internal and external tetraethylammonium block in four homologous k+ channels. mol pharmacol. 1991 aug;40(2):299-307.
[2] niu lg, zhang ms, liu y, xue wx, liu db, zhang j, liang yq. vasorelaxant effect of taurine is diminished by tetraethylammonium in rat isolated arteries. eur j pharmacol. 2008 feb 2;580(1-2):169-74. epub 2007 oct 25.
[3] shea pa, dunklee pe, et al. preliminary clinical investigation of tetraethylammonium chloride with particular reference to disorders of the circulatory system. calif med. 1948 sep;69(3):193-6.