DESCRIPTION OF ETHYL ACETATE

Ethyl acetate is the most common ester to many student especially chemistry students
and perhaps the ester with the largest range of application (Santacesaria, Carotenuto, Tesser &
Di Serio, 2011). Esters are structurally derived from carboxylic acid by replacing the acidic
hydrogen by an alkyl or aryl group. Ethyl acetate also known as Ethyl Ethanoate (IUPAC name)
is the organic with the chemical formula CH3COOCH2CH3, simplified to C4H8O2. This ester
has other names such as Acetic Ester, Acetic Ether and Ethyl Ester of acetic acid.

This colourless and volatile liquid has an aromatic odour; melting point: -83.6C;
boiling point: 77.06C; relative vapour density (air = 1): 3.04; relative density (water =1):
0.894-0.898. Ethyl acetate is slightly soluble in water, also soluble in many kinds of organic
solvent such as ketone, chloroform, ether and alcohol. Despite it can be used in many ways,
ethyl ethanoate has the potential to be vigorously hazardous if handled wrongly, especially in
the case of accidental exposure. This ester is highly toxic when ingestion or inhaled, as well as
flammable and can damaging the internal organs if prolonged exposure. It also can cause
irritation when it contact with the skins or eyes.

In terms of reactivity, ethyl acetate is also sensitive to heat. On prolonged storage,

materials containing similar functional groups have formed explosive peroxides. Ethyl acetate
may ignite or explode with lithium aluminum hydride. Ethyl acetate may also ignite with
potassium tert-butoxide. It is incompatible with nitrates, strong alkalis and strong acids and
will attack some forms of plastics, rubber and coatings. Ethyl acetate is incompatible with
oxidizers such as hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, perchloric acid and chromium trioxide.
Violent reactions occur with chlorosulfonic acid. SOCl2 reacts with esters, such as ethyl
acetate, forming toxic SO2 gas and water soluble/toxic acyl chlorides, catalyzed by Fe or Zn.

Ethyl acetate is a widely used fine chemical product with excellent solubility, quick-
drying property, and wide applications and is a very important organic chemical raw material
and excellent industrial solvent which is widely used in the process of producing cellulose
acetate, ethyl based fiber, chlorinated rubber, vinyl resins, cellulose acetate resins, synthetic
rubber, and paints. Its main functions include: being used as an industrial solvent for being
applied to paints, adhesives, ethyl cellulose, leather, linoleum colorants, synthetic fibers; being
used as a binder for being applied to printing inks, artificial pearl production; as extracting
agent for used in the production of medicine and organic acids; as a spice raw materials being
used as the main raw material for the flavours of pineapple, banana, and strawberry and
whiskey, butter. Ethyl acetate is an effective poison for use in insect collector as its vapours
are a respiratory tract irritant whose vapours can kill the insect quickly without destroying it,
leaving it intact for study. Ethyl acetate is also used in agrochemicals by professional workers
where it functions as a solvent carrier for the active components. Since it evaporates at a fast
rate, it is used in perfumes and cosmetics as it leaves the scent of the perfume on the skin.

There are several method in order to produce ethyl acetate. The primary process in order
to produce ethyl acetate involves the esterification of ethanol with acetic acid but some of ethyl
acetate is produced by the catalytic condensation of acetaldehyde. Other process that can be
used to produce ethyl acetate are Tishchenko reaction of acetaldehyde, Alkylation of acetic
acid by ethylene and dehydrogenation of ethanol.