N,N'-Dimethylethylenediamine

N,N'-Dimethylethylenediamine (DMEDA) is the organic compound with the formula (CH3NH)2C2H4.

It features two secondary amine functional groups.

Regarding its name, N and N' indicate that the methyl groups are attached to different nitrogen atoms.

DMEDA is used as a chelating diamine for the preparation of metal complexes, some of which function as homogeneous catalysts.

[1][2] The compound is used as a precursor to imidazolidines by condensation with ketones or with aldehydes: DMEDA complexes of copper(I) halides are used to catalyze C-N coupling reactions.

View down chelate ring-Ni axis in trans -[NiCl 2 (DMEDA) 2 ] (one DMEDA and chloride ligands omitted for clarity). [ 3 ] Color code: green = Ni, violet = N, dark gray = C