Dimethoxyethane


Dimethoxyethane, also known as glyme, monoglyme, dimethyl glycol, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, dimethyl cellosolve, and DME, is a colorless, aprotic, and liquid ether that is used as a solvent, especially in batteries. Dimethoxyethane is miscible with water.

Production

Monoglyme is produced industrially by the reaction of dimethylether with ethylene oxide:

Applications as solvent and ligand

Together with a high-permittivity solvent, dimethoxyethane is used as the low-viscosity component of the solvent for electrolytes of lithium batteries. In the laboratory, DME is used as a coordinating solvent.
Dimethoxyethane is often used as a higher boiling alternative to diethyl ether and THF. Dimethoxyethane acts as a bidentate ligand for some metal cations. It is therefore often used in organometallic chemistry. Grignard reactions and hydride reductions are typical application. It is also suitable for palladium-catalyzed reactions including Suzuki reactions and Stille couplings. Dimethoxyethane is also a good solvent for oligo- and polysaccharides.