D5758

Diethyl pyrocarbonate

96% (NT)

• Synonym(s): DEP, DEPC, Diethyl dicarbonate, Diethyl oxydiformate, Ethoxyformic acid anhydride
• Linear Formula: O(COOC₂H₅)₂
• CAS Number: 1609-47-8
• Molecular Weight: 162.14
• UNSPSC Code: 12352202
• NACRES: NA.77
• PubChem Substance ID: 24893964
• EC Number: 216-542-8
• Beilstein/REAXYS Number: 637031
• MDL number: MFCD00009106

Properties

• biological source: synthetic (microbial fermentation/ cell culture)
• Quality Segment: 200
• assay: 96% (NT)
• form: liquid
• refractive index: n20/D 1.398 (lit.)
• bp: 93-94 °C/18 mmHg (lit.)
• density: 1.101 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.)
• shipped in: wet ice
• storage temp.: 2-8°C
• SMILES string: CCOC(=O)OC(=O)OCC
• InChI: 1S/C6H10O5/c1-3-9-5(7)11-6(8)10-4-2/h3-4H2,1-2H3
• InChI key: FFYPMLJYZAEMQB-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Description

General description

Diethyl Pyrocarbonate (DEPC) is a chemical use to inactivate RNase enzymes and is sensitive to moisture and pH. It decomposes at 155°C, to ethanol and carbon dioxide in aqueous solution. DEPC is also sensitive to ammonia, which causes decomposition to urethane, a possible carcinogen.

Application

Diethyl pyrocarbonate has been used in PCR reaction for treating deionized water, which reduces the risk of RNA being degraded by RNases.[1] It is also used for Dot blot hybridization, to dilute total RNA isolated from different micro-organisms.[2]

Modification reagent for His and Tyr residues in proteins. Robust probe for structural disruptions in dsDNA, reacting with fully or partially unstacked bases.

Biochem/physiol Actions

DEPC is a potent nuclease inhibitor.[3][4]0.1% solution of DEPC is used to inactive RNase.
It inhibits the ryanodine binding to ryanodine/Ca²⁺ receptor channels in skeletal muscle in a dose and time dependent manner and increases the Ca²⁺ permeability of SR vesicles.[5]

Inactivates RNase in solution at about 0.1% (v/v), thus protecting RNA against degradation.

Safety Information

• pictograms: GHS07
• signalword: Warning
• hcodes: H302
• pcodes: P264 - P270 - P301 + P312 - P501
• Hazard Classifications: Acute Tox. 4 Oral
• Storage Class: 10 - Combustible liquids
• flash_point_f: 156.2 °F - closed cup
• flash_point_c: 69 °C - closed cup
• ppe: Eyeshields, Faceshields, Gloves, type ABEK (EN14387) respirator filter