Talk:Polyethylene glycol

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The picture of polyethylene glycol is wrong. (it is not an ether, but a diol) Also the drawing would imply that n=0 is ethylene glycol, whereas it is simply water

hello does anyone have the hybridizations for Maleimide-Polyethylene glycol?

Should there be a mention of Regalskeppet Vasa and Mary Rose, two ships that were conservated with PG. Scoo 11:20, 19 December 2005 (UTC)


Hey, that chemical structure in the picture to the right looks wrong. It looks to be missing a terminal -OH group.

No, it's fine, see there. Although I personally think this one is clearer. It's is both simpler (emphasizes the monomer), and the n-subscript is better placed. --Belg4mit 21:57, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

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[edit] There is no polyethylene in "polyethylene glycol" or "polyethylene oxide"

The article title contains a common misspelling of poly(ethylene glycol) and also of poly(ethylene oxide).

The structure shown looks like ethoxypoly(ethylene glycol) or ethoxypoly(ethylene oxide), not PEG or PEO, each of which are diols (dialcohols).

See above --Belg4mit 22:07, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

The structure that was inseted is not correct -- it has two extra carbon atoms -- and is not consistent with the structural formula that was inserted (nor with the correct one that is now there (9/4/06)). The second structure that belg4mit posted is correct. Can it be inserted?

In the discussion of PEGylation of therapeutic proteins, it would be more correct to speak of methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) or "mPEG," since that is what is used in all of the products named, to which could be added mPEG-adenosine deaminase (for treatment of severe combined immunodeficiency disease = SCID), mPEG-asparaginase (for treatment of certain hematologic malignancies) and mPEG-growth hormone antagonist (for treatment of acromegaly). mPEG-uricase is in Phase 3 clinical testing in patients with "treatment-failure gout."

What is the molecular mechanism of action of polyethylene glycol by which it causes the fusison of two diploid cells.


  • I agree that this structure is better and, in fact is consistent with the structural formula in Merck 13, 7651: H(OCH2CH2)nOH where n >/= 4. In addition, the question of "polyethylene glycol" vs. "poly(ethylene glycol)" is really splitting hairs as it is understood that "polyethyleneglycol" is "poly(ethylene glycol)" by convention. In addition, Merck 13, 7651 lists it as "polyethylene glycol" lending a large amount of credibility to the name w/o the parentheses. Finally, polyoxyethylene needs to be explained here as it is commonly used in industry, e.g. Uniqema.--Vargob 17:08, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] PEG versus PEO

There is no justification for separating these two names into separate pages, since they are not chemically distinct. The distinction served the commercial purposes of certain manufacturers (especially the now defunct Union Carbide Corporation), but has no basis in chemistry. The definition of PEG as a liquid and PEO as a solid is simply wrong.

Also, "Its melting point is around 68 degree Celsius." is inconsistent with the espoused notion that "PEG" is a liquid, which is simply incorrect.

Note that all of the PEGylated therapeutic proteins that are listed are made with "PEG" (really mPEG) with molecular weights above 5 kilodaltons, all of which are solids -- yet they are not called PEO in the article!


I agree. Oppose split. —Keenan Pepper 04:38, 2 July 2006 (UTC)

The article now (9/4/06) has rejoined PEO and PEG, as correctly defined.

[edit] PEG versus POE

Various surfactants are designated by the number of moles of ethylene oxide that were used to create them. For example, surfactant ETHOX TDA-9 is descibed by its manufacturer (Ethox Chemicals) as tridecyl alcohol POE 9. Is POE the same as PEO? I had thought POE was an acronym for polyoxyethylene. Conversely, other surfactants may be described by the letters PEG followed by a number. For example ETHSORBOX PSML-80 is described by its manufacturer (again Ethox Chemicals) as PEG-80 sorbitan laurate. Is that substance identicle to T-MAZ 28, which is described by its manufacturer (BASF) as sorbitan monolaurate POE 80? If anyone can clarify this terminology, then it might be a good idea to further explain it in the article. Surfactants are one of the major uses of polyethylene glycol. Is it a reagent (like ethylene oxide) in the manufacture of surfactants, or is it simpy a miscible ingredient that is blended in? --Zymatik 05:06, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

I don't believe that there is a difference and think it should be added... The manufacturer of Tween, ICI refers to them as POE, not PEO or PEG. Additionally, this needs to be tied into polyoxyethylene so it makes more sense specifically because of the confusion. --Vargob 16:53, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Different PEGs

Might somebody be able to explain the different PEGs that are available such as PEG 200, PEG 300, PEG 400 and PEG 600 and others?

These are classes of polymerized PEG by molecular weight (PEG 400 would be n~5). Just as in the alkanes, the heavier PEGs are higher viscosity/melting point. --Belg4mit 22:07, 8 August 2006 (UTC)
Thank you. Might you or somebody be willing to add this information to the main article? Do the different PEGs have longer chains off of a core molecule? --Iambk 00:13, 24 August 2006 (UTC)

Repeat structure is WRONG

[edit] Toxicity

This may start a controversy but I have changed it's status from 'non-toxic' to 'sightly toxic'. My gastroenterologist wants me to take Miralax for a year or more, but my nauturalpath says it's liver and kidney toxic, and a possible mutagen. After all, if it reacts can't ethelyene glycol molecules break off the ends? That's antifreeze folks and it's toxic. Small amounts won't kill you, or even cause much harm because I believe it gets metablolized like alcohol does, but has anybody done a long-term study on this? The OTC directions says use no more the 7 days. I don't have any problem using it as needed, but more research needs to be done on this to truly call it "non-toxic". -Stillwaterising 10:18, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

PEG is GRAS; and I agree, the structure looks wrong or at least misleading 69.107.115.52 (talk) 07:06, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Ion binding?

Just for curiousness, does anybody know something about ion binding to PEG? The structure is similar to crown ethers, though PEG should form a random coil.