Potassium ethyl xanthate Potassium ethyl xanthate Potassium ethyl xanthate (KEX) is an organosulfur compound with the chemical formula CHCHOCSK. It is a pale yellow powder that is used in the mining industry for the separation of ores. Unlike the related sodium ethyl xanthate, the potassium salt exists as an anhydrous salt. Xanthate salts are prepared by the action of alkoxides on carbon disulfide. The alkoxide is often generated in situ from potassium hydroxide: Potassium ethyl xanthate is a pale yellow powder that is stable at high pH but rapidly hydrolyses at pH <9 at 25 °C. Unlike the sodium derivative, potassium xanthate crystallizes
2-Ethyl-2-oxazoline ring-opening polymerization of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline can be initiated by alkylation with e.g. methyl tosylate or triflates (in particular methyl triflate) and leads to the water-soluble poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) which is a propionyl-substituted linear polyethylenimine and can also be seen as a pseudo-polypeptide. The polymerization of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline can also be carried out as living cationic polymerization. Copolymers with other 2-alkyl-2-oxazolines and other monomers allow the preparation of random copolymers and block copolymers. The copolymers obtained can be used as biocompatible drug carriers, in coatings and adhesives, and in many other applications. The elimination of the propionyl group from poly (2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) yields linear polyethyleneimine. 2-Ethyl-2-oxazoline