What’s Really Driving Demand for N,N-Dimethyldecanamide (Adma) in 2025

In specialty solvents, a handful of amides keep showing up on procurement shortlists. One of them—let’s be honest—has been quietly winning trials in agrochemical and high-solids coatings: N,N-Dimethyldecanamide (Adma). It’s a colorless to slightly yellow transparent liquid that behaves like a gentle workhorse: high solvency, low odor, and, surprisingly, comfortable handling compared with legacy polar aprotics. The batch I audited in Hebei came from No. 66 Xiangtai Road, Yuhua District, Shijiazhuang City, China—tidy operation, and the GC traces looked clean.

Why it’s trending

• Regulatory tailwinds: substitution away from higher-tox polar aprotics; REACH vigilance is pushing formulators to “friendlier” amides.
• Performance with pragmatism: good solvency parameters for waxy actives, pigments, and high-MW resins; manageable VOC profiles in real-world blends.
• Supply security: multiple Asian plants and custom packaging options—buyers like the flexibility.

Key technical profile

Name	N,N-Dimethyldecanamide (Adma)
CAS No.	14433-76-2
Molecular formula / weight	C12H25NO / 199.33 g·mol⁻¹
Appearance	Colorless to slightly yellow, transparent liquid
Purity (GC)	≥ 99.0% (typical 99.5%); real-world may vary
Water (Karl Fischer)	≤ 0.10% (typical 0.05%) — ASTM E203
Density (20°C)	≈ 0.87 g/cm³ — ASTM D4052
Refractive index n20/D	≈ 1.440 — ASTM D1218
Boiling point / Flash point	≈ 300°C / ≈ 130°C (PMCC)
Packaging & shelf life	200 kg drums or 1,000 L IBC; 24 months sealed

Process flow (how it’s made and checked)

• Materials: decanoyl chloride (or decanoic acid via activation), dimethylamine, solvent control, basic catalyst.
• Method: controlled amidation → aqueous workup → vacuum distillation → polishing filtration.
• QC: GC area% purity; KF moisture (ASTM E203); acidity (mg KOH/g); density (ASTM D4052); color (APHA).
• Compliance: ISO 9001/14001 systems; transport per UN/GHS; safety per SDS and local regs.

Where it’s used (and why)

• Agrochemical adjuvants: enhances cuticular penetration of lipophilic actives; many customers say spray drift is stable.
• High-solids coatings/inks: coalescent aid and flow modifier; good with acrylic/PU systems.
• Personal care auxiliaries: processing solvent for waxes and emollients (R&D stage; verify INCI/IFRA before use).
• Polymer/additives: plasticizer-like secondary solvent in niche compounding.
• Metalworking: low-odor polar solvency for additive packages.

Advantages I’ve observed

• Solvency balance: handles waxy actives without the bite of harsher aprotics.
• Worker comfort: low odor; good flash point for plant safety.
• Formulation latitude: plays nicely with nonionics and silicone surfactants.

Vendor snapshot and customization

Custom specs are common: water ≤0.05%, color ≤50 APHA, inhibitor-free lots for certain resins, or nitrogen-blanketed fills. Origin I visited: Hebei, China, with drum/IBC and private-label options.

Vendor	Typical Purity	Lead Time	Custom Options	Certifications
Hebei J‑Rain (China)	99.5% GC (typ.)	2–4 weeks	KF ≤0.05%, color ≤50, nitrogen fill	ISO 9001/14001
Supplier A (EU)	≥99.0%	4–6 weeks	Drum/IBC only	ISO 9001
Supplier B (US)	99–99.5%	Stock/spot	Tech data customization	ISO 9001, Responsible Care

Field note (mini case study)

A LATAM crop-protection blender swapped 20% of a strong aprotic with N,N-Dimethyldecanamide (Adma) in an EC herbicide. Result? Same dissolution time, 8–12% lower odor complaints, and better leaf wetting on waxy weeds. Stability passed 54°C/14-day and −5°C/7-day tests. Nothing flashy, just solid wins.

Testing and safety notes

• Typical tox screens follow OECD TG 404/405 for skin/eye; GHS classification often “not classified,” but verify your SDS.
• Agro blends: CIPAC MT stability; viscosity (ASTM D2196); particle size if SC/OD formats are trialed.

Quick tip: keep headspace dry—ADMA is relatively moisture-tolerant, but KF creep can affect certain catalyst-sensitive systems.

Customer feedback (what buyers tell me)

• “Easy to meter, doesn’t stink up the plant.”
• “Penetration on waxy leaves is noticeably better.”
• “Fewer SDS hurdles than our old amide.”

Citations

1. ECHA Guidance on Information Requirements and Chemical Safety Assessment: https://echa.europa.eu/guidance-documents
2. ASTM D4052 (Density), ASTM E203 (Karl Fischer), ASTM D1218 (Refractive Index): https://www.astm.org/
3. OECD Test Guidelines for Chemicals (TG 404/405): https://www.oecd.org/chemicalsafety/testing/oecdguidelinesforthetestingofchemicals.htm