In 1940Du Pont applied for a patent onacetylene storage in many polar organic solvents, one of which was1,3-dimethyl-2-imid azolidone.[5] The company filed another patent on a method of synthesizing the same compound, albeit calleds-dimethylethyleneurea, in 1944.[6]
Soon thereafterWilliam Boon from theImperial Chemical Industries published a different synthesis method of what he called1:3-dimethyliminazolid-2-one.[7] The compound was more closely studied in the 1960s,[8][9][10] with its adoption as a solvent starting in the 1970s.[4]
DMI has excellent solvating ability for both inorganic and organic compounds. In many applications,[citation needed] DMI (as well as DMPU) can be used as a substitute or replacement for the carcinogenic solventHMPA.[11] Compared to the 6-atom ring analog, it has an advantage of lower viscosity (1.9 vs. 2.9 cP at 25°C).[4]
DMI is used in a variety of applications including detergents, dyestuffs, electronic materials and in the manufacture of polymers.[citation needed]
