BASF has launched the low-VOC polyurethane catalyst Lupragen® N 208.

On December 8, 2025 - BASF announced the addition of a new amine catalyst, Lupragen® N 208, to its Lupragen amine catalyst product portfolio used for the production of polyurethane foams. Lupragen® N 208 (chemical name: N,N,N'-trimethyl-N'-hydroxyethyl-diaminooxyethane, HE-TMAEE, CAS 83016-70-0) will be produced at BASF's Ludwigshafen integrated production site and sold globally under the Lupragen brand. 

As a reactive catalyst, Lupragen® N 208 can firmly embed itself into the polyurethane polymer network during the foam production process, thus remaining within the foam and not escaping. This prevents the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which may cause adverse effects such as odors. Overall, this characteristic makes Lupragen® N 208 particularly suitable for manufacturing polyurethane products that need to meet strict low-VOC standards. Its application scope covers flexible polyurethane foams used in mattresses and furniture padding, as well as semi-rigid polyurethane foams used in automotive interiors (such as dashboards and armrests). 
Gereon Altenhoff, the product manager for intermediate polyurethane catalysts in the European region of BASF, said: "We are pleased to have Lupragen® N 208 join the Lupragen product portfolio, complementing our existing foaming catalyst Lupragen® N 205 (bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl) ether, BDMAEE). This research and development is aimed at meeting the growing demand of customers for low-VOC solutions." 
BASF is a world-leading producer of amines, with its product range covering various amines used as catalysts for polyurethane (PU), and these are sold under the brand name Lupragen. Polyurethane catalysts are typically tertiary amines and are used to facilitate the reaction between the main components, isocyanates and polyols. Depending on the choice of catalyst, the polyurethane molding process can be regulated to enhance gelation or foaming reactions. The amines product portfolio of BASF includes multiple products, such as Lupragen® N 208, which is designed to help customers in the polyurethane industry minimize foam emissions to the maximum extent.