[7] During the reaction, inhibitors must be present (such as phenothiazine), because of the high tendency of starting material and product to polymerize.

Dimethylaminoethyl acrylate is a clear, colorless to slightly yellowish liquid with a pungent amine-like odor.

In copolymers, DMAEA improves their nucleophilicity, basicity, water solubility and adhesion to polar negatively charged substrates, as well as dyeability of acrylic fibers with anionic dyes.

The most significant use for DMAEA is the quaternization with alkylating agents (for example chloromethane, dimethyl sulfate or benzyl chloride) to the quaternary ammonium salt.

Copolymerization of trimethylammoniumethyl acrylate chloride with acrylamide leads to high molecular weight cationic polyacrylamides, which are widely used as coagulants and flocculants[11] in waste water purification and as retention and dewatering agents in papermaking.