As synthetic chemistry took off in the early 20th century, chemists looked for solvents that could handle more than water could offer. In that era, many breakthroughs moved from backroom beakers to industrial tanks, and diethylene glycol butyl ether (DEGBE) made its entrance. Its backbone—assembled from ethylene oxide and butanol—proved itself in textile mills, paint shops, and cleaning operations. The post-war industrial boom saw demand for better paints and more efficient degreasers. People wanted new solutions that could cut through oil, grease, and resin without evaporating in seconds or damaging equipment. Companies started producing and refining DEGBE in batches for specific needs, from coating pipes to processing leathers. Its manufacture, rooted in basic organic synthesis, kept pace with changing industrial needs as the century wore on.
DEGBE steps up wherever a chemical needs to dissolve, clean, or lubricate with focus and stamina. It packs a rare mix of properties, bringing both muscle and finesse. You find it tucked away inside specialty cleaners that need to penetrate dirt but not wreck surfaces. Paint manufacturers often reach for it to keep coatings smooth and workable—as anyone who has struggled with streaky walls can attest, a well-made paint owes a lot to its silent chemical helpers. DEGBE’s low volatility stops brushes from drying out halfway through a job. Compare it to simpler alcohols or glycols; many evaporate too quickly or lack the solvency needed for stubborn materials. That's why chemical developers stick with DEGBE for demanding blends: it brings strength without chaos.
DEGBE is a clear liquid, almost odorless with a sweet edge. Its boiling point sits much higher than water’s, near 230°C, which means it doesn’t vanish under a heat lamp or leave streaks behind after drying. It mixes with water and common organic solvents, so it can adapt to a wide range of industrial formulas. Its molecular structure gives it the ability to latch onto both water and oil-based substances, bridging the two. I’ve noticed that this blending power makes it invaluable in cleaners and degreasers—you get grease off metal without the residue or the strong, irritating vapor clouds common with lighter alcohols. Practical experience shows its impressive staying power, resisting breakdown under light and temperature stress.
Buyers and users rely on tight tolerances for these chemicals: purity usually runs above 99%, water content kept minimal, and color checked by absorbance or APHA scales. The label on a DEGBE drum matters as much as the stuff inside—it lays out the chemical's batch, its grade (technical, reagent, industrial), and hazard warnings. Safety Data Sheets (SDS) have become non-negotiable, especially after big incidents involving solvents in decades past. In my own career, tracking technical specs like flash point, specific gravity, and vapor pressure has prevented expensive missteps or accidents right out of the gate.
DEGBE producers typically rely on a two-step process: first, they react ethylene oxide with butanol to build the basic glycol ether chain. Large reactors run these reactions under pressure and heat, and the final product comes out through distillation—an old method that holds up thanks to its reliability and control. Careful monitoring at each stage, especially moisture and by-product removal, ensures a consistent and high-quality batch. I’ve watched plant operators measure each output for impurities with calibrated sensors, catching even minor contamination. Incorporating automation for these checks boosted plant safety and reduced costly downtime.
DEGBE acts as more than a solvent—it stands as a building block for other chemical products. If you throw in acid or base catalysts, you can transform it further, especially in reactions to make esters or ethers used in lubricants or specialty polymers. The hydroxyl group on one end opens the door for chemical bonding with harsher functional groups, letting researchers push the boundaries of what a glycol ether can do. Sometimes, chemical engineers modify DEGBE to act as intermediates for pharmaceuticals or as additives that alter viscosity in industrial formulas. Those in research settings know its adaptability cuts down on development time, streamlining the route to new commercial products.
Walk into a chemical supply store or browse a catalog, and you’ll find DEGBE under multiple names: some bottles say “Butyl Carbitol,” others “Diethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether,” and still others carry trade names like “Dowanol DB” or “Butyl Diglycol.” This naming chaos can confuse new buyers or workers unless labels and training are clear. Some regulatory filings list it under distinct CAS numbers, so cross-referencing is a habit worth keeping—a lesson learned after finding mismatched safety recommendations on different containers of what turned out to be the same liquid.
Some folks may think glycol ethers are benign because they don’t have that sharp, alarming odor, but working with DEGBE without protection can quickly lead to problems. Skin or eye contact often burns or irritates. Inhalation of vapors in poorly ventilated spaces brings nausea or headaches within minutes. Occupational safety hinges on gloves, goggles, and proper ventilation. Companies run regular leak checks and scrubbers to keep air safe by removing vapor before workers breathe it in. Regulations like OSHA’s workplace exposure limits and REACH’s chemical safety assessments shape daily operations, refusing shortcuts. Each incident report I’ve read in industry meetings provides another reason to keep safety culture strong.
Factories, workshops, and even some household product lines owe a small debt to DEGBE. Paints and coatings form its largest user base; its ability to slow drying creates a professional finish even in hot, dry climates. Cleaning products, both industrial and institutional, use its power to lift organic stains—a crucial thing in food plants or high-traffic malls. Textile workers treat fabrics with DEGBE-based blends to remove oils and improve dye uptake, which keeps shirts from bleeding after one wash. In hydraulic fluids and metalworking, DEGBE brings compatibility and anti-rust protection. Additives in printing inks rely on it to keep flows smooth and prevent hard clogs inside expensive machines. In my experience helping troubleshoot manufacturing lines, switching to a differently formulated solvent rarely matches the performance of a well-designed DEGBE blend.
Innovators keep looking for new ways to cut costs, boost performance, and lower environmental impact. Labs develop derivatives like carboxylic acid esters or modified glycol ethers, hoping to pack more power into every drop or open new niches. Some teams research green alternatives, using renewable sources for ethylene oxide or butanol. Collaborating with suppliers on purity and impurity profiles, product developers test tweaks that might lower VOC emissions in paints or improve cleaning action for tricky stains. Funding increasingly targets biodegradable replacements, but most labs still rely on DEGBE benchmarks to compare performance and process safety.
Workers in chemical plants or research labs recall hard lessons learned from insufficient safety controls. Animal studies document effects on the liver, kidneys, and blood, forcing stricter exposure limits over the years. Risk increases at higher doses, especially from chronic exposure. Modern assessments continually track inhalation and skin passage rates, driving upgrades in personal protective equipment and engineering controls. Medical surveillance in workplaces often monitors health markers to catch warning signs early. I remember one colleague explaining how finer controls on exposure made long shifts in solvent plants far safer today than during the early decades of widespread glycol ether use.
The world moves toward safer, more sustainable materials, and DEGBE stands at a crossroads. Demand from manufacturers for efficient, tough solvents won’t vanish overnight, but environmental regulation and public scrutiny push for safer alternatives and cleaner production routes. Research into biodegradable glycol ethers and bio-based feedstocks shows promise, but market inertia carries weight. For the next decade, DEGBE will likely stick around in industrial applications demanding high performance, while green chemistry runs parallel experiments to find the next big thing. Engineers and researchers working on process safety and greener synthesis may shape the next chapter, but generations of practical experience with DEGBE keep it on the shelf for now.
Walk down any grocery store aisle with cleaning products, and you’ll notice the promises: streak-free windows, deep-clean floors, spotless counters. There’s a good chance that somewhere in that bottle, you’ll find Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether (DEGBE) doing the heavy lifting. The stuff tackles grease and dirt without much fuss, helping water team up with cleaning agents so surfaces look and feel clean, not sticky or dull after a quick wipe-down.
I grew up helping out in a school janitor’s closet. Those old linoleum floors glowed after a mop session thanks to formulations that broke through tracked-in grime and cafeteria spills. It wasn’t magic, just chemistry that let the products get through layers of oily residue.
In a painter’s world, the goal is a smooth, even finish without blotches or brush marks. Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether slides right into this job. It makes water-based paints easier to apply and keeps them from drying up on the brush or roller too fast. I remember repainting an old coffee table, battling the heat on my porch. The paint stayed workable, eve n as the sun beat down, because of a good solvent blend, and DEGBE played a big part here.
This chemical gets chosen for its mild odor and the way it helps paints stick without peeling or cracking. Houses look fresher longer, and folks like me avoid the fume headaches.
At the local print shop, the hum of machines means work is getting done—and for print jobs to look sharp, the ink can’t gunk up or smear. Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether makes ink flow more smoothly, dries at the right pace, and gives printed materials a crisp edge. Small businesses rely on brochures and flyers that show off vibrant colors, and the ink chemistry has to perform every time.
Look through ingredient lists on some lotions, soaps, and creams. You'll spot complicated names like this one, hiding with other ingredients. Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether gives products a silky feel and helps fragrances blend. It keeps formulas from separating and helps them glide onto skin.
Here’s where safety and trust matter. Safe use depends on the right amounts. Decades of testing and regulation follow ingredients like these, but stories sometimes surface about misuse and accidental poisoning—usually linked to counterfeit or off-brand products, or careless storage around kids. In 2006, cough syrup in Panama killed dozens because manufacturers swapped sweetener for dangerous chemicals, including one in the same family as DEGBE.
Industries have pushed for lower-toxicity and safer workspaces, asking suppliers for clear answers about long-term exposure effects of solvents. Workers have every right to know what’s in the bucket or on the label. Modern facilities use better ventilation, closed-system mixing, and regular air checks to limit risks.
Households and small businesses can do their part, too. Educate yourself; check labels for proper handling guides and dispose of cleaning agents or paint thinners at recommended drop-offs instead of tossing them in the ordinary trash. Demand clear labels and safer alternatives.
Most people rarely consider what’s inside the cleaning sprays used at home or in industries. Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether, often listed as DGBE on labels, slips into household cleaners, paint strippers, and even printing inks without attracting much attention. The long chemical name barely raises an eyebrow. Living with chemicals like this is a fact of daily life, but not everyone realizes what exposure can mean.
The word “toxic” can sound dramatic or remote. In this case, a closer look at DGBE’s track record warns us against forgetting just how real the risks are. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this solvent can cause skin and eye irritation, and breathing in high concentrations for short periods can irritate the nose and throat. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health flags it for possible health problems, including headaches and nausea, if people spend much time near it without proper ventilation or protection.
Working in a print shop after college meant daily runs with press cleaners and degreasers. Nobody handed out warnings about ingredient lists. Over time, some coworkers developed persistent coughs, red eyes, and easily irritated skin. Respirators hung on the wall but gathered dust more often than not. It was only after a chemical safety talk that people started wearing gloves and masks more consistently. That real-world experience drove home how easy it is to brush past MSDS sheets and believe a normal workday couldn’t really hurt you.
DGBE doesn’t pack the acute punch that gets chemicals banned outright, but chronic exposures shouldn’t get shrugged off. According to studies, repeated contact with this solvent can lead to central nervous system effects and long-term skin damage. So even though a single splash on skin might only cause mild discomfort, weeks or months of low-level contact set the stage for bigger problems.
Experience shapes habits. Today, I read labels and look up chemical data sheets before trying new cleaning supplies at home. I open windows or run exhaust fans if a product smells strong or lists glycol ethers. At job sites, I still see workers skipping gloves and masks for tasks involving solvents like DGBE—often nobody reminds them, or company rules stay buried in handbooks.
Companies can cut back on the use of risky solvents by switching to less hazardous options whenever possible. Regular safety meetings, visible labeling, and real access to basic gear shift old habits. It helps when supervisors put health before speed, offering guidance and tools instead of blame when mistakes happen. Even small reminders—a posted factsheet or a supply closet stocked with gloves—mean fewer overlooked exposures.
People value their health most after something goes wrong. The facts surrounding DGBE serve as a warning: knowing what’s in the bottle matters, asking for safer choices isn’t overreacting, and routine protection pays off in the long run. Respecting chemicals isn’t just for labs or manuals—it’s for anyone who wants a clear head and safe skin.
Diethylene glycol butyl ether shows up in more places than most folks realize: cleaners, paints, agricultural sprays. Even if it doesn’t have the profile of household bleach or gasoline, this colorless liquid deserves respect. Experience on job sites and in smaller workshops tells me that many people glance at the label but don’t always think through all the details. Still, safety with chemicals never works as a “set it and forget it” deal.
Nobody wants to deal with an outdoor spill or a vapor headache from carelessness in the storeroom. For this solvent, the rules set by OSHA and chemical manufacturers help but they don’t spell out every quirk you meet day to day. At the most basic level, this liquid belongs away from extremes. Put it in a spot that stays well below 30°C, preferably in a dry zone. Humid, hot rooms speed up the risk of container rust and possible leaks, especially in older shops using metal drums salvaged from somewhere else.
Polyethylene or HDPE drums, bins with tight-sealing lids, or factory-sealed steel containers do a solid job. I never keep open containers on the floor—always up off concrete, on a pallet or a shelf. Puddles under leaking drums turn a cheap solvent into a thousand-dollar headache. It’s not about fancy equipment; just proper racks and attention stop a lot of messes before they start.
Keep it out of direct sunlight, tucked in corners or cupboards if possible. This slows down any potential breakdown or surprising reactions. Never park it next to acids or strong oxidizers. Mix-ups or unexpected chemical reactions can happen under cramped conditions, and nobody enjoys the cleanup or paperwork that follows.
People tend to get casual with materials that don’t look or smell menacing. Diethylene glycol butyl ether doesn’t hit your nose the way ammonia or acetone do, so sometimes newcomers slack off on personal protection. I keep gloves and splash goggles handy, even for small tasks—skin irritation and eye injuries show up in the safety logs more often than folks expect.
Good ventilation makes a difference. Small shops without industrial fume hoods can still set up box fans or crack windows to keep fresh air moving. Slow, chronic headaches and throat irritation often trace back to poor airflow, and nobody wants to end up in the break room feeling dizzy after a long shift.
Spills call for quick action. I’ve seen too many workshops that lack basic absorbent pads, sand, or spill kits. Regular sawdust isn’t a real fix—it soaks up liquid but does nothing about chemical hazards. Spill kits designed for solvents keep cleanup straightforward and much safer, especially when paired with gloves and disposable wipes.
It helps when everyone gets the same message at the start. Briefings, posted signs, and clear labeling all play a role. One way I’ve seen shops keep things organized involves taping MSDS printouts on cabinet doors or assigning one shelf to each chemical. Less confusion means fewer accidents, especially with folks rotating on and off shift.
Long-term storage works better with routine checks. Building a habit of inspecting containers each month stops slow leaks becoming big headaches. Sometimes caked residue or off-color surfaces tell you more than the label ever could.
Common sense matters: treat every chemical as if a family member could walk through at any time. It’s the small practices—double-checking lids, using the right bins, not forgetting gloves—that save workers and businesses from surprises.
Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether goes by the chemical formula C8H18O3. It’s a mouthful for most folks, and the formula itself may not mean a lot without a little background. What we’re looking at is a compound shaped out of the diethylene glycol backbone with a butyl group attached. In practical language, this just means a molecule with two ether links and a butyl tail. People in the cleaning business, paint shops, and even ink factories bump into this chemical far more often than they realize.
Digging into its actual substance, this stuff flows as a clear liquid, almost oily by touch. You don’t get hit in the nose with a strong smell; it brings a faint, sweet odor that reminds some of fresh glue or syrup. It carries a boiling point of about 230°C and hangs on at room temperature without any trouble. Pour it on the table, and it dries slowly because it evaporates at a lazy pace compared to alcohol or water. That slow evaporation actually serves a purpose in industries that need solvents hanging around long enough to do their work, like dissolving stubborn grease or helping paint spread smooth.
The density sits somewhere near 0.95 g/cm³, close to water, which keeps the separation of blends in check. Throw some water at it, and the two mix freely—this solubility matters a lot for anyone cooking up cleaning products or inks. For me, having worked around industrial cleaners, this property gave products the muscle to cut through layers of grime while still getting rinsed off cleanly.
I remember a lesson from a safety briefing years ago: solvents like this call for respect, even if they don’t carry the punch of more notorious chemicals. Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether doesn’t flare up easily, but once it hits around 94°C (its flash point), you need to start keeping flames and sparks far away. Many folks working with it report skin and eye irritation if they ignore gloves or goggles. Over time, breathing in a lot in closed spaces might stir up headaches or nausea—one more reason strong ventilation stays on the checklist wherever it’s used.
It lands in so many tasks because it bridges a gap that other solvents miss. If you’ve ever tried to get oil paint out of carpet or remove industrial dyes from surfaces, fast-drying solvents would vanish before breaking down the mess. Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether hangs in there, letting soap or paint binders dissolve fully so cleaning doesn’t turn into a wrestling match. In high-tech settings, printers count on it to keep inks spread just right. In paints and coatings, it slows evaporation, which helps to prevent streaks and patches.
Personal experience shows folks usually worry about exposure once they see rashes or start coughing, but prevention works better. Basic solutions aren’t complicated: gear up with gloves, good airflow, and keep chemicals in a locked cabinet instead of shelving them next to the lunchroom. If the goal is to cut down on these chemicals, research into safer green substitutes is already moving forward—plant-based solvents or blends with fewer health risks look promising. Companies willing to invest in safety and greener options can save people from future headaches, both medical and administrative, and stay ahead of the regulatory game.
Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether, usually called DGBE, often turns up in cleaning agents and paints. People like me, who’ve gotten their hands dirty working around chemicals, know one question crops up all the time: does this stuff mix well with water and other solvents, or does it fight back? Mixing really matters. If a chemical dissolves well in water or common solvents, you get better cleaning, smoother paint, or an easier job blending things in the lab or on the factory line. If it doesn’t mix, you’re left with separation, waste, and frustrated users.
I first came across DGBE back in a college chemistry lab. Folks were surprised by how easily it blended with water. No separate layers, no cloudy mess—it felt a lot like working with rubbing alcohol or acetone. DGBE holds two alcohol groups on one molecule, making it comfortable in both water and oily solvents. That means it can shake hands with water molecules and ride along with them. On paper, chemists call this “miscible”. To non-chemists: pour it in, swirl a second, and you’ve got one smooth liquid.
Water isn’t the only friend DGBE keeps. Paint guys know it’ll blend right into acetone, ethanol, and a pile of other industrial solvents without a fight. I learned this working weekends at an auto shop, where we’d mix degreasers and paint thinners ourselves. DGBE always slid into our blends, keeping things even and spreadable, whether watery or oil-based. The science backs it up, too: its structure lets it turn toward polar or nonpolar companions, so it bridges the gap in mixed cleaning and coating jobs.
Think of cleaning your house or prepping a surface for a paint job. If your cleaner doesn’t blend well in water, it leaves streaks or haze. Hit it with something like DGBE, though, and not only does it blend, it drags grease into the water for good measure. Mixability makes for easier usage, better coverage, and fewer failed jobs. In factories, solvents that play nice together save money. You won’t toss out a batch of product because two ingredients refused to mix. Good solvent mixing keeps industrial processes running and cuts down on waste.
Nothing’s perfect. Just because DGBE mixes great doesn’t mean it’s a free ride for safety. It’s less hazardous than some older solvents, but it’s still no lemonade. Prolonged skin contact and inhalation can cause health problems, based on what safety sheets say. I always wore gloves and a mask handling the stuff, after seeing a co-worker get rashes once. For people looking for greener options, water-based cleaners are gaining ground, but sometimes you still need something like DGBE for tough grease or stains.
Most workers and hobbyists want products that actually solve their problems without causing new ones. Companies that reformulate paints and cleaners often look for substances that dissolve easily in both water and oils—DGBE keeps showing up in those lists. At the same time, we should push for stricter labeling and better access to safety info. If you know what you’re handling and how it behaves, it’s easier to work safely and pick the solvent that fits your job, budget, and values.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | 2-(2-Butoxyethoxy)ethan-1-ol |
| Other names |
2-(2-Butoxyethoxy)ethanol Butyl Carbitol Butyl Diglycol Diethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether DEGBE Butoxy Diglycol |
| Pronunciation | /daɪˈɛθiːliːn ˈɡlaɪkɒl ˈbjuːtɪl ˈiːθər/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 112-34-5 |
| Beilstein Reference | 3580777 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:31537 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL1355156 |
| ChemSpider | 8359 |
| DrugBank | DB06798 |
| ECHA InfoCard | 14e590a7-9e6a-43ee-ae67-7599d80ef41e |
| EC Number | 203-961-6 |
| Gmelin Reference | 7459 |
| KEGG | C19585 |
| MeSH | D005900 |
| PubChem CID | 8176 |
| RTECS number | KL8575000 |
| UNII | N8F53B9L1B |
| UN number | UN3082 |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | DTXSID6023608 |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | C8H18O3 |
| Molar mass | 162.23 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear, colorless liquid |
| Odor | Odorless |
| Density | 0.953 g/cm3 |
| Solubility in water | Soluble |
| log P | 0.56 |
| Vapor pressure | 0.01 mmHg (20°C) |
| Acidity (pKa) | 14.8 |
| Basicity (pKb) | 0.5 |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | -8.62e-6 |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.420 |
| Viscosity | 3.9 cP (25°C) |
| Dipole moment | 4.31 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 403.3 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | -751.65 kJ/mol |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -5045.7 kJ/mol |
| Pharmacology | |
| ATC code | D07AX |
| Hazards | |
| Main hazards | Harmful if swallowed. Causes serious eye irritation. Causes skin irritation. |
| GHS labelling | **GHS labelling for Diethylene Glycol Butyl Ether:** "Warning; H302, H319, H332; P264, P280, P305+P351+P338, P337+P313, P301+P312" *(You can adjust according to supplier SDS; this is a typical GHS labeling string.)* |
| Pictograms | GHS02,GHS07 |
| Signal word | Warning |
| Hazard statements | H302, H319 |
| Precautionary statements | P210, P233, P240, P241, P242, P243, P261, P271, P280, P303+P361+P353, P305+P351+P338, P337+P313, P501 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 1-2-0 |
| Flash point | 60°C (Closed Cup) |
| Autoignition temperature | 238 °C |
| Explosive limits | Upper: 23%, Lower: 0.88% |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LD50 (oral, rat): 3,300 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | 2,010 mg/kg (rat, oral) |
| NIOSH | DH8925000 |
| PEL (Permissible) | 50 ppm |
| REL (Recommended) | 10 mg/m3 |
| IDLH (Immediate danger) | IDLH: 600 ppm |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
Ethylene glycol butyl ether Diethylene glycol Diethylene glycol monomethyl ether Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether Triethylene glycol Propylene glycol butyl ether |
