What is Ethyl Acetate?

Ethyl acetate is an organic compound that is an ester of ethanol and acetic acid. It is widely used as a solvent in chemical reactions or preparations. This is the reason it is manufactured on a large scale.

Ethyl acetate is an organic compound that is an ester of ethanol and acetic acid. It is widely used as a solvent in chemical reactions or preparations. This is the reason it is manufactured on a large scale.
The molecular formula of ethyl acetate structure can be easily memorized because as the name suggests it contains ethyl group (CH2-CH3 or C2H5) and acetate group (CH3COO).

Production of Ethyl Acetate
Ethyl acetate is a basic organic compound. This colorless liquid has a general characteristic of a sweet smell and is used in making glues, nail polish removers, and is involved in the decaffeination process of tea and coffee as well.
The ethyl acetate structure is typically produced and framed synthetically and carries some amount of risks at high doses. And yet, the solvents that are used in the decaffeination process are much safer than they seem to be, and they are generally found on beans only in little traceable amounts. Ethyl Acetate is also very well used to thin and dissolve other hard substances including nitrocellulose, which is the basic material that is present in nail polish. Therefore, it is considered an important and effective ingredient present in the nail care industry.

Ethyl acetate is synthesized on a large scale because it is widely used as a solvent for many compounds. In industries, it is synthesized by the Fischer esterification reaction. In this reaction, ethanol and acetic acid are used as reactants. The reaction takes place at room temperature which gives 65% yield.It is also prepared by the Tishchenko reaction in the industry at large scale. In this reaction, two equivalents of acetaldehyde react in presence of an alkoxide catalyst.

Uses of Ethyl Acetate
Ethyl acetate is a very useful organic compound. Large-scale production of ethyl acetate structure, itself shows its importance in the industry.
1.It is primarily used as solvent and diluent.
2.It is used in the decaffeination of coffee beans and tea leaves.
3.It is used in paints as an activator and hardener.
4.Due to its fruity smell, it is used in perfumes, jelly etc.
5.It is an important laboratory reagent.
6.It is used in column chromatography and extractions as solvent.
7.It is used in wines.

Where can we find Ethyl Acetate Around Us?
One can find traces of chemistry in daily life. The food we eat gives us some form of chemical reactions with the acid that is naturally produced in our stomach that helps in our digestion. The air we breathe has chemical components involved to change and breathe only oxygen for life.
The cleaning chemicals used in homes or any places have some percentage of chemicals in them. Our emotions are connected with chemistry as well, oxytocin produced when we are with our loved ones is a form of a chemical reaction and literally every object we can see or touch. Some common chemistry concepts may be very obvious to most of us, but others might surprise us in many unexpected forms. Our body is also made up of many unique chemical compounds, which are combinations of various elements.


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