Glycol ethers
class of chemical compounds used as solvents
Glycol ethers are a class of chemical compounds consisting of alkyl ethers that are based on glycols such as ethylene glycol or propylene glycol. They are commonly used as solvents in paints and cleaners. They have good solvent properties while having higher boiling points than the lower-molecular-weight ethers and alcohols.
History
The name Cellosolve was registered in 1924 as a United States trademark by Carbide & Carbon Chemicals Corporation (a division
of Union Carbide Corporation) for "Solvents for Gums, Resins, Cellulose Esters, and the Like". Ethyl Cellosolve, or simply Cellosolve, consists mainly of ethylene glycol monoethyl ether and was introduced as a lower-cost solvent alternative to ethyl lactate. Butyl Cellosolve (ethylene glycol monobutyl ether) was introduced in 1928, and Methyl Cellosolve (ethylene glycol monomethyl ether) in 1929.
Types
Glycol ethers are designated E-series or P-series for those made from ethylene oxide or propylene oxide, respectively. Typically, E-series glycol ethers are found in pharmaceuticals, sunscreens, cosmetics, inks, dyes and water-based paints, while P-series glycol ethers are used in degreasers, cleaners, aerosol paints and adhesives. Both E- and P-series glycol ethers can be used as intermediates that undergo further chemical reactions, producing glycol diethers and glycol ether acetates. P-series glycol ethers are marketed as having lower toxicity than the E-series.
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Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 11, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q53844. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1924, 1928 and 1929.
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This entry incorporates text from “Glycol ethers” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.