POLYETHYLENEIMINE Chemical Properties

Melting point:

59-60°C

Boiling point:

250 °C(lit.)

Density 

1.030 g/mL at 25 °C

vapor pressure 

9 mmHg ( 20 °C)

refractive index 

n20/D 1.5290

Flash point:

>230 °F

storage temp. 

2-8°C

solubility 

DMSO (Sparingly)

form 

Liquid

color 

Pale yellow

Specific Gravity

1.045 (20/4℃)

PH

pH(50g/l, 25℃) : 10～12

Water Solubility 

Soluble in water.

Sensitive 

Hygroscopic

InChI

InChI=1S/C2H5N/c1-2-3-1/h3H,1-2H2

InChIKey

NOWKCMXCCJGMRR-UHFFFAOYSA-N

SMILES

C1NC1

LogP

-0.969 (est)

EPA Substance Registry System

Aziridine, homopolymer (9002-98-6)

Safety Information

Hazard Codes 

Xn,N,Xi

Risk Statements 

22-43-51/53-36/38

Safety Statements 

22-24/25-61-36/37-37-26

RIDADR 

UN 3082 9 / PGIII

WGK Germany 

2

RTECS 

TQ7917000

F 

10-34

TSCA 

Yes

HS Code 

39019090

MSDS

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POLYETHYLENEIMINE Usage And Synthesis

Description

Polyethyleneimine (PEI), an organic polyamine polymer, is one of the most prominent examples of cationic polymers capable of gene transfection in vitro and in vivo into various cell lines and tissues. PEI was also applied in different fields from gene therapy and several studies have emphasized the importance of this polymer in medicinal chemistry.

Chemical Properties

Clear viscous liquid

Uses

Polyethyleneimine acts as a protein precipitant used to purify proteins. It is used as a chelating agent and as a scavenger for aldehydes and oxides. It is also used in detergents, paper industry, dyes, printing inks and in water treatment.

Uses

Branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) is widely used in many applications due to its polycationic character. Unlike its linear equivalent, branched PEI contains primary, secondary, and tertiary amines. Primarily utilized in industrial applications, high molecular weight PEI has been used as a flocculating agent, textile coating, adhesion promoter, enzyme carrier, and as a material for CO₂ capture.

Uses

Polyethyleneimine is used as a polyelectrolyte multilayer on charged surfaces to provide a biocompatible coating on surfaces.1Detergents, adhesives, water treatment, printing inks, dyes, cosmetics, and paper industry, adhesion promoter, lamination primer, fixative agent, flocculant, cationic dispersant, stability enhancer, surface activator, chelating agent, scavenger for aldehydes and oxides.

Application

Polyethyleneimine(PEI) can be used as a non-viral synthetic polymer carrier for in vivo delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids. The interaction between the negatively charged nucleic acid and the positively charged polymer backbone leads to the formation of nanoscale complexes. This neutralising complex protects the enclosed nucleic acid from enzymes and maintains its stability until cellular uptake occurs. For example, human serum albumin-coupled PEI shows good pDNA transfection and low toxicity.
PEI can be used to functionalize single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) to improve their solubility and biocompatibility while maintaining the structural integrity of the original SWNT. Covalently functionalized SWNTs can be used for CO2 uptake and gene delivery.
Branched PEI can also be used to modify the surface properties of adsorbents. PEI-modified aqueous zirconia/PAN nanofibres have a high fluoride adsorption capacity and a wide working pH range, and can therefore be used for groundwater defluoridation.

Production Methods

Polyethylenimine is produced by the homopolymerization of ethylenimine. The reaction is catalyzed by acids, Lewisacids, or haloalkanes. The polymerization is usually carried out at 90 – 110 ℃ in water or in a variety of organic solvents. The average molecular mass of the polyethylenimine prepared as described above is 10 000 – 20 000. Higher molecular mass polymers are prepared by addition of a difunctional alkylating agent, such as chloromethyloxirane or 1,2-dichloroethane. Polyethylenimines with a higher average molecular mass can also be provided by ultrafiltration of polymers with a broad mass distribution. Likewise, polymers of lower molecular mass can be obtained by inclusion of a low molecular mass amine, such as 1,2- ethanediamine, during polymerization. By using these techniques a range of molecular masses from 300 to 10 6 can be obtained. Cross-linking during the polymerization of ethylenimine in organic solvents leads to solid polyethylenimines. Furthermore the polymerization process can be conducted on the surface of organic or inorganic materials, thus fixing the polyethylenimines to a support.

Definition

ChEBI: Aziridine is a saturated organic heteromonocyclic parent, a member of aziridines and an azacycloalkane. It has a role as an alkylating agent. It is a conjugate base of an aziridinium.

General Description

All polyethylene imine polymers are hydrophilic and may contain approx. 30% hydrated water.

Trade name

Lupasol, Polymin, Catiofast, Lugalvan (BASF), Epomin (Nippon Shokubai).

Biological Activity

Polyethylenimine is nondegradable and the molecular weight of PEI affects the cytotoxicity and gene transfer activity. Polyethylenimine acts as a low toxicity and efficient gene vector. 

Structure and conformation

Polyethyleneimine(PEI) exists as both a branched and linear structure. Branched PEI (bPEI) is synthesized via acid-catalyzed polymerization of aziridine, whereas the linear structure (lPEI) is synthesized via ring opening polymerization of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline followed by hydrolysis.

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