Sodium ethyl xanthate Sodium ethyl xanthate Sodium ethyl xanthate (SEX) is an organosulfur compound with the chemical formula CHCHOCSNa. It is a pale yellow powder, which is usually obtained as the dihydrate. Sodium ethyl xanthate is used in the mining industry as a flotation agent. A closely related potassium ethyl xanthate (KEX) is obtained as the anhydrous salt. As with most xanthates, sodium ethyl xanthate can be prepared by treating sodium ethoxide with carbon disulfide: Sodium ethyl xanthate is a pale yellow powder. It is relatively stable in water at high pH if not heated. It rapidly hydrolyses at pH <9 at 25
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