Oligomer model to explain the coloration of TEA and discoloration catalytic treatment

To understand origin of the undesirable well-known coloration of triethanolamine by compounds at trace levels, a model of insaturated oligomers is proposed: . This model is obtained by action of crotonaldehyde on MEA: The hydrogenation in the presence of various supported metal catalysts is an attractive process for TEA discoloration, and a 5 wt.% Pd/C catalyst exhibited the highest efficiency.