Request a Quote
Request a Quote →

Monoisopropanolamine (MIPA)

1-Amino-2-propanol · Isopropanolamine · CAS 78-96-6

The primary member of the propylene-oxide-derived isopropanolamine family: MIPA buffers and neutralizes fatty-acid and sulfonic-acid surfactants across metalworking fluids, coatings and personal care.

Chelora Chemicals supplies monoisopropanolamine to metalworking-fluid, coatings and personal-care manufacturers worldwide, with full GHS documentation on every consignment.

  • Buffer
  • Surfactant neutralizer
  • Metalworking-fluid additive
  • Waterborne coatings ingredient
  • Personal-care formulation
  • UN 2735 · Class 8

Product identity

CAS Number
78-96-6
IUPAC name
1-Aminopropan-2-ol
Molecular formula
C₃H₉NO
Molecular weight
75.11 g/mol
Boiling point
160 °C
Melting point
-2 °C
UN Number
UN 2735
HS Code
2922 19*

* Confirm the current HS classification and import regulatory status for your destination with your own regulatory affairs team.

75.11g/mol molecular weight
160 °CBoiling point
-2 °CMelting point
0.973g/cm³ density (25 °C)
Product overview

What Monoisopropanolamine is used for

Monoisopropanolamine (MIPA) is a colourless liquid, fully miscible with water. It is the primary member of the isopropanolamine family — one hydroxyl group and one primary amine group on a propylene backbone, the propylene-oxide counterpart to monoethanolamine.

MIPA is used as a buffer and to neutralize fatty acids and sulfonic-acid-based surfactants, which it also helps dissolve oils and fats in. Its major applications are in metalworking fluids, waterborne coatings, and personal care products. It is also used in the production of titanium dioxide and polyurethanes, and as a pharmaceutical intermediate in the synthesis of hexylcaine.

Where it sits among the isopropanolamines

  • Monoisopropanolamine (this product) one hydroxyl, one amine — buffer and surfactant neutralization.
  • Diisopropanolamine two hydroxyls, one amine — emulsifier, stabilizer, chemical intermediate. See that page.
  • Triisopropanolamine three hydroxyls, no N–H — emulsifier/stabilizer and herbicide-acid neutralizer. See that page.

Appearance and handling character

MIPA is harmful in contact with skin and causes severe skin burns and eye damage — a corrosivity profile that calls for the same handling discipline used across the alkanolamine family.

Typical commercial specification
ParameterTypical value
AppearanceColourless liquid
Assay98.0% min
Water content0.5% max
Colour (Hazen)15 max
Diisopropanolamine content1.0% max

Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document.

Physical & chemical properties
PropertyValue
Physical stateColourless liquid
Boiling point160 °C
Melting point-2 °C
Density (25 °C)0.973 g/cm³
Flash point165 °F (~74 °C)
Water solubilityFully miscible

Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 78-96-6 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.

Applications

Where our customers put this amine to work

A compact primary isopropanolamine spanning metalworking, coatings and personal care.

Metalworking fluids

Neutralizes fatty-acid and sulfonic-acid surfactants in cutting and lubricating fluid formulations.

  • Technical grade specification
  • Bulk & drum supply
  • Technical desk review on request

Waterborne coatings

Used as a buffer and neutralizer in waterborne coating formulations.

  • Technical-grade specification
  • Research and process-scale quantities
  • Full documentation supplied

Personal care products

A buffer and surfactant neutralizer in personal-care formulation chemistry.

  • Cosmetic-grade specification
  • Small-pack and bulk options
  • Retained sample held against the lot

Titanium dioxide production

Used as a process aid in titanium dioxide manufacture.

  • Technical grade specification
  • Bulk tank & contracted supply
  • Documented batch traceability

Polyurethanes & pharma intermediate

Used in polyurethane production and as a pharmaceutical intermediate in hexylcaine synthesis.

  • Packs from 25 kg drum / bulk
  • Full analytical documentation available
  • Technical desk review on request

Contract & scheduled supply

Metalworking-fluid, coatings and personal-care plants are supported with scheduled bulk delivery.

  • Annual contracts with scheduled call-off
  • Price held across the contract period
  • Second source held in reserve
Buying from Chelora

How we supply Monoisopropanolamine

Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. MIPA reaches very different end markets — industrial metalworking fluids on one side, personal-care formulations on the other — and documentation needs differ accordingly.

We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your required grade, your price point and your delivery window.

We keep a second qualified source on this line, so a single-plant disruption never becomes your production problem.

  • Diisopropanolamine content confirmed before we quote. Co-product carryover matters to personal-care-grade compliance.
  • Grade matched to end use. Metalworking-fluid, coatings and cosmetic-grade specifications are confirmed before booking.
  • UN 2735 documentation filed correctly. Every shipment carries the correct hazard declarations.
  • Scheduled call-off scheduling. We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your plant's consumption calendar.
  • Batch traceability to the producing plant. Full chain of custody documentation on request.
  • Export machinery handled in-house. Classification, approved packing, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
Packing & logistics

Packed the way your plant receives it

Drum, IBC or bulk tank — tell us your preferred format and we will quote and classify to it.

Drums

200 L / 55 USG

Standard steel or poly drums for metalworking-fluid and coatings-manufacture orders.

IBCs

Intermediate bulk containers

For mid-volume orders where drum handling becomes a logistics burden.

ISO tank / road tanker

Industrial bulk volumes

Bulk liquid transport sized to continuous metalworking-fluid or coatings-plant consumption.

FOB · CIF · CFR · DDP

Incoterms to suit you

Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with documentation filed before booking.

25 kg / 200 kg packs

Trial / sample quantities

Small packs dispatched for formulation trials before a commercial order is placed.

Scheduled release

Contracted call-off supply

We hold contracted tonnage and release it against your plant's consumption calendar.

Safety, storage & handling

Corrosive on skin and eye contact

MIPA's hazard profile demands standard corrosive-liquid precautions. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch is the authoritative document.

GHS Signal word: Danger

Classified hazards

  • H312Harmful in contact with skin.
  • H314Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.

Always read the SDS issued with your specific batch. Handle with chemical-resistant gloves, splash goggles and adequate ventilation; have emergency eyewash and safety-shower provision nearby.

Storage

Store in tightly closed, corrosion-resistant containers away from strong oxidizers. MIPA remains liquid down to -2 °C under normal storage conditions.

Handling

Use with local exhaust ventilation. Avoid skin and eye contact; have emergency eyewash and safety-shower provision nearby.

Transport

Shipped under UN 2735, Class 8 (corrosive). We confirm and document packing group and exact classification for your specific shipment and destination.

Quality assurance

Every batch, documented

We verify documentation before dispatch so there are no surprises at your incoming-goods bench.

Specification agreed

Assay and diisopropanolamine content confirmed against your process requirement before order placement.

Producer batch testing

The producing plant tests each batch against the agreed specification before release.

Documentation review

COA, SDS and transport paperwork checked by our desk before the shipment is booked.

Traceable dispatch

Each shipment is traceable to its producing batch, with full chain-of-custody records on request.

Production background

How monoisopropanolamine is made

Monoisopropanolamine is produced industrially by the reaction of propylene oxide with ammonia, a process that co-produces diisopropanolamine and triisopropanolamine in proportions controlled by the ammonia-to-propylene-oxide ratio, separated by fractional distillation.

We do not publish operating process parameters here; this is background only. Full technical and safety documentation accompanies every shipment, and any process-specific detail you need is best confirmed directly with our technical desk.

Quick reference
Chemical familyIsopropanolamine, primary
Basic characterModerate base, typical of alkanolamines
ReactivityBuffers; neutralizes fatty-acid/sulfonic-acid surfactants
Common co-productsDiisopropanolamine, triisopropanolamine (shared production route)
Frequently asked

Monoisopropanolamine, answered

What is monoisopropanolamine (MIPA) used for?
MIPA is used as a buffer and to neutralize fatty acids and sulfonic-acid-based surfactants, which it also helps dissolve oils and fats in. Major applications include metalworking fluids, waterborne coatings, and personal care products. It is also used in the production of titanium dioxide and polyurethanes, and as a pharmaceutical intermediate in the synthesis of hexylcaine.
How does MIPA differ from monoethanolamine?
Both are primary alkanolamines, but MIPA is derived from propylene oxide rather than ethylene oxide, giving it a methyl branch. This changes its physical properties and the balance of applications it is used in, with MIPA leaning toward metalworking fluids, coatings and personal care rather than gas treating.
Is MIPA hazardous?
Yes. It is harmful in contact with skin and causes severe skin burns and eye damage. Full GHS documentation accompanies every consignment.
What grade do you supply?
Technical and personal-care grade, typically 98%+ assay. Tell us your end use and we will quote against the correct specification.
What packing do you offer?
Drums, IBCs and bulk/ISO tank shipment, sized to metalworking-fluid, coatings and personal-care order volumes.
Do you manufacture this yourself?
No - Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. We place your order with whichever qualified producer fits your specification and timeline, and hold a second source in reserve.
Ready to order?

Get a quote on Monoisopropanolamine today

Send us your required grade, pack size and delivery window. We will come back with a firm quote, lead time and full documentation.

Response timeWithin one business day