Ethyl Acetate

About This Product

Ethyl acetate, the ethyl ester of acetic acid, has the formula C4H8O2 and CAS number 141-78-6. It is a clear, colourless liquid with a light fruity odour, boiling at about 77 °C, partly soluble in water and miscible with most organic solvents. It combines strong solvency for nitrocellulose, acrylic, vinyl and polyurethane resins with a fast evaporation rate and comparatively low toxicity, a combination that has made it the reference solvent of gravure and flexographic printing inks and of the laminating adhesives used in flexible packaging. The same low toxicity places it in the lowest-concern class of the ICH Q3C guideline for residual solvents, and it is among the extraction solvents permitted under EU rules for foodstuffs, which is why it is used in pharmaceutical work-up and in decaffeination. The specification point that deserves attention is water. In the presence of moisture ethyl acetate slowly hydrolyses back to ethanol and acetic acid, so acidity rises in poorly stored material, and dry storage in closed containers preserves the grade. It is used in printing inks, packaging adhesives and laminates, nitrocellulose and industrial coatings, nail care products, pharmaceutical extraction and crystallisation, and as a process solvent in fine chemical manufacture. Bio Green Chem supplies ethyl acetate at 99 percent minimum in 180 kg drums or ISO tanks, with the full specification on water, acidity, colour and residue confirmed with the quotation. It is highly flammable, irritating to the eyes and its vapour may cause drowsiness; handle to the safety data sheet.