PEG 400

Polyethylene glycol
IUPAC name Polyethylene glycol
Identifiers
CAS number	25322-68-3 Y
Properties
Molecular formula	C2nH4n+2On+1, n = 8.2 to 9.1
Molar mass	380-420 g/mol
Density	1.128 g/cm³
Melting point	4-8 °C
Viscosity	90.0 cSt at 25 °C, 7.3 cSt at 99 °C
Hazards
Flash point	238 °C
LD50	30 mL/kg, orally in rats
Y 400 (verify) (what is: Y/N?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox references

PEG 400 (polyethylene glycol 400) is a low molecular weight grade of polyethylene glycol. It is a clear, colorless, viscous liquid. Due in part to its low toxicity, PEG 400 is widely used in a variety of pharmaceutical formulations. More recently, it has been used to make "E-Liquid" for Electronic Cigarettes (Personal Vaporizers).

Chemical properties

PEG 400 is strongly hydrophilic. The partition coefficient of PEG 400 between hexane and water is 0.000015 (logP = − 4.8), indicating that when PEG 400 is mixed with water and hexane, there are only 1.5 parts of PEG 400 in the hexane layer per 100,000 parts of PEG 400 in the water layer.^[1]

PEG 400 is soluble in water, acetone, alcohols, benzene, glycerin, glycols, aromatic hydrocarbons and is slightly soluble in aliphatic hydrocarbons.

References

1. ^ T. Y. Ma, D. Hollander, P. Krugliak, K. Katz (1990). "PEG 400, a hydrophilic molecular probe for measuring intestinal permeability". Gastroenterology 98 (1): 39–46. PMID 2293598. http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/PII001650859091288H/abstract. 

• The Merck Index, 11th Edition
• Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients