Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid is a chelating agent that sequesters metal ions so they cannot combine with other ingredients in a product.
Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid is used in soaps as a water softener, and to protect dyes and perfumes from combining with metals in solution.
Compounds with similar functions are sodium carbonate, sodium edta, sodium citrate, phosphoric acid, tetrasodium etidronate. and tetrasodium pyrophosphate.
diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid: InChI=1/C14H23N3O10/c18-10(19)5-15(1-3-16(6-11(20)21)7-12(22)23)2-4-17(8-13(24)25)9-14(26)27/h1-9H2,(H,18,19)(H,20,21)(H,22,23)(H,24,25)(H,26,27)/f/h18,20,22,24,26H