Polyquaternium-37 is an organic quaternary ammonium compound consisting of acrylamide monomers and dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride.

It occurs as a colourless to light yellow liquid, soluble in water, insoluble in ester, hydrocarbons and ketone.

What it is used for and where

It is a cationic flocculant, a substance added to a suspension to improve the aggregation of suspended particles with strong polarity and affinity to anionic material.

Cosmetics

Polyquaternium-37 is the most widely used member of the Polyquaternium family and is mostly included in hair care formulations as an antistatic and film-forming agent that interacts with rinse water to keep surfaces clean for longer. Less frequently it is found in face and personal care creams and products with the task of cleaning the most exposed surface of the epidermis.

Antistatic agent. Static electricity build-up has a direct influence on products and causes electrostatic adsorption. The antistatic ingredient reduces static build-up and surface resistivity on the surface of the skin and hair.

Hair fixative. This ingredient has the ability to form bonds between the hair fibres with its hydrophilic and elastic properties to maintain a particular shape for some time.

Film-forming agent. Produces a very thin continuous film with an optimal balance of cohesion, adhesion and adhesiveness on skin or hair.

Other uses

Used in the sludge dewatering process of wastewater treatment plants, papermaking, coal flotation, printing, paints and other industries. It is also used in the production of anti-static coatings, oilfield chemicals, textile auxiliaries, daily chemicals and other fine polymer products.

Minor applications include determination of gold, cerium, photometric free chlorine; for determination of nitrate, Mn, nitrite, chromium salt, copper salt, cobalt, mercury and cyanide in air.

The most relevant studies on this ingredient have been selected with a summary of their contents:

Polyquaternium-37 studies

Typical commercial product characteristics Methacrylatoethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride

Appearance	Colorless Transparent Liquid
Boiling Point	>100°C
Melting Point	-25°C
Flash Point	>100°C
Density	1.105 g/mL at 25°C
Index of Refraction	n20/D 1.469
Safety

• Molecular Formula  C₉H₁₈ClNO₂
  
• Linear Formula    H₂C=C(CH₃)CO₂CH₂CH₂N(CH₃)₃Cl
• Molecular Weight     207.70
• Exact mass   207.102600
• CAS  5039-78-1
• UNII    PP88R88K3O
• EC Number   225-733-5
• DSSTox Substance ID  DTXSID3027586
• IUPAC  trimethyl-[2-(2-methylprop-2-enoyloxy)ethyl]azanium;chloride
• InChI=1S/C9H18NO2.ClH/c1-8(2)9(11)12-7-6-10(3,4)5;/h1,6-7H2,2-5H3;1H/q+1;/p-1  
• InChl Key      RRHXZLALVWBDKH-UHFFFAOYSA-M
• SMILES   CC(=C)C(=O)OCC[N+](C)(C)C.[Cl-]
• MDL number  MFCD00060097
• PubChem Substance ID    24865505
• ChEBI  
• NACRES   NA.23    

Synonyms:

• (2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl)trimethylammonium chloride
• N,N,N-(2-trimethylammonio)ethyl methacrylate chloride
• Methacrylatoethyl Trimethyl Ammonium Chloride