Formula C6H14O3 Density 1.08 g/cm³ | Molar mass 134.17 g/mol | |
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Trimethylolpropane (TMP) is the organic compound with the formula CH3CH2C(CH2OH)3. This colourless solid is a triol. Containing three hydroxy functional groups, TMP is a widely used building block in the polymer industry.
Contents
Production
TMP is produced via a two step process, starting with the condensation of butanal with formaldehyde:
CH3CH2CH2CHO + 2 CH2O → CH3CH2C(CH2OH)2CHOThe second step entails a Cannizaro reaction:
CH3CH2C(CH2OH)2CHO + CH2O + NaOH → CH3CH2C(CH2OH)3 + NaO2CHApproximately 200,000,000 kg are produced annually in this way.
Applications
TMP is mainly consumed as a precursor to alkyd resins. Otherwise, acrylated and alkoxylated TMP's are used as multifunctional monomers to produce various coatings, Ethoxylated and propoxylated TMP, derived condensation of from TMP and the epoxides, are used for production of flexible polyurethanes. Allyl ether derivatives of TMP, with the formula CH3CH2C(CH2OCH2CH=CH2)3-x(CH2OH)x are precursors to high-gloss coatings and ion exchange resins. The oxetane "TMPO" is a photoinduceable polymerisation initiator.