Ethyl acetate is an ester and is an aromatic organic compound with the chemical formula CH3COOCH2CH3. It is also called as Ethyl Ethanoate. It is derived from acetic acid and ethanol. It is formed due to the carboxylic acid replacing the acidic hydrogen with an alkyl or aryl group.
General properties of Ethyl Acetate are:
- It is a colourless liquid at room temperature
- It has an acidic, slightly fruity odour
- Ethyl acetate is highly flammable
- When it is burned, ethyl acetate has a yellow flame and even stronger acetous smell.
Production of Ethyl Acetate:
Ethyl Acetate is basically manufactured in three ways:
- It is manufactured as a co-product of ethanolysis of Polyvinyl Acetate to Polyvinyl Alcohol.
- It is also manufactured by the esterification of ethanol and acetic acid.
- The third way of manufacturing Ethyl Acetate is by heating acetic acid and ethyl alcohol in
the presence of sulphuric acid and then followed by distillation.
Ethyl Acetate is the most widely used chemical across numerous industries, and its various
applications are:
Solvent
Ethyl Acetate is manufactured on a large scale to be used as a solvent. It is used as an extraction solvent in the production of pharmaceutical and food products (mainly in Chromatography), and as a carrier solvent for herbicides. It is used as a solvent in inks for flexography and gravure painting in the printing industry.
Cosmetic Industry
Ethyl Acetate is used in the cosmetic industry as a nail polish remover and is used in scents and perfumes for its sweet aroma.
Food and Beverages Industry
Ethyl acetate is used as artificial fruit essences and aroma enhancers; artificial flavours for confectionery, ice cream and cakes, and in the decaffeinating of tea and coffee. It is also used during the production of wine, the fruitiness of wine is because of ethyl acetate.
Coating Formulations
Ethyl Acetate is used in coating formulations such as epoxies, urethanes, cellulosics, acrylics and vinyls. Some of the applications of these coatings are in wood furniture and fixtures, in agriculture, in construction and mining equipments, auto refinishing, and maintenance and marine uses.
Other Applications
Ethyl Acetate is used in electroplating .High purity Ethyl Acetate can be used as a viscosity reducer for resin used in photoresist formulations in the electronics and semiconductors industry.
| PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION | |
| CAS No. | 141-78-6 |
| EINECS No. | 205-500-4 |
| Formula | CH3COOC2H5 |
| H.S. CODE | 2915.39 |
| Mol Wt. | 88.11 |
| Toxicity | Oral rat LD50: 5620 mg/kg |
| Synonyms | Acetic acid, ethyl ester; Ethyl acetic ester; Acetidin |
| PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES | |
| Physical State | Clear liquid |
| Melting point | -83⁰C |
| Boiling point | 77⁰C |
| Solubility in water | Moderately soluble |
| Specific gravity | 0.90 |
| Vapour density | 3 |
| Auto-ignition | 425⁰C |
| NFPA Ratings | Health: 1, Flammability: 3 and Reactivity: 0 |
| Flash point | <55⁰C |
| Stability | Stable under normal conditions. Moisture sensitive. |
| SALES SPECIFICATION | |
| Purity (GC) | 99.0% min |
| Water | 0.2% max |
| Colour (Pt-Co) | 15 max |
| TRANSPORTATION | |
| Packing | 180kgs in drum |
| Hazard Class | 3 (Packing Group: II) |
| UN No. | 1173 |
TDS Specification