Ethyl Acetate

Description

Ethyl Acetate, also known as Ethyl Ethanoate, is a clear, colorless, highly volatile organic solvent with a characteristic sweet, fruity odor. With the chemical formula C₄H₈O₂ and a molecular weight of 88.11 g/mol, it is one of the most widely used ester solvents across coatings, paints, adhesives, printing inks, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and other industrial applications.

Genome Specialities supplies Ethyl Acetate for a wide range of industrial and specialty applications, with grades and specifications selected according to customer requirements.

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Properties of Ethyl Acetate

Property	Description / Value
Chemical name	Ethyl Acetate
Synonyms	Ethyl ethanoate
Chemical formula	C₄H₈O₂
Molecular weight	88.11 g/mol
Chemical class	Ester
Appearance	Colorless, clear liquid
Odor	Sweet, fruity
pH	Neutral (aqueous solutions)
Solubility in water	Slightly soluble (~8–9% at 20 °C)
Solubility in alcohol	Miscible
Solubility in organic solvents	Miscible
Hydrolysis	Slowly hydrolyzes in acids or bases
Functional groups	Ester (–COO–)
Chemical reactivity	Generally stable
Oxidizing/reducing nature	Neither oxidizing nor reducing
Stability	Stable under normal conditions
Incompatibilities	Strong acids, strong bases, strong oxidizing agents
Polymerization	Will not occur

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Applications of Ethyl Acetate

Paints, Coatings & Lacquers

Used as a solvent in:

• Paints and coatings
• Lacquers
• Varnishes
• Surface coatings
• Industrial finishes

Its relatively fast evaporation helps support efficient drying and formulation performance.

Adhesives

used as a solvent in various adhesive formulations, including certain:

• Contact adhesives
• Industrial adhesives
• Rubber-based adhesives
• Resin-based adhesive systems

Printing Inks

Used in solvent-based printing ink formulations, particularly where rapid solvent evaporation and good solvency are required.

Pharmaceutical Industry

used as a process solvent and extraction solvent in pharmaceutical manufacturing and chemical processing.

Food & Flavor Applications

Used in certain food and flavor applications where an appropriate food-grade/FCC-compliant material is required.

used as a solvent in food-processing applications such as the extraction and decaffeination of coffee.

Cosmetics & Personal Care

used as a solvent in selected cosmetic and personal-care formulations, including certain nail-care products and nail-polish formulations.

Chemical Manufacturing

Ethyl Acetate is used as a solvent and processing medium in the manufacture of various chemicals, resins, coatings, and specialty products.

Cleaning & Degreasing

Its solvent properties make Ethyl Acetate suitable for selected industrial cleaning, degreasing, and residue-removal applications where its solvency profile is appropriate.

Ethyl Acetate Grades

Ethyl Acetate is available in different grades depending on purity, impurity limits, regulatory requirements, and the intended application. Important specification parameters may include assay, water content, acidity, ethanol content, non-volatile matter, color, and other trace impurities.

Industrial / Technical Grade

Industrial or technical grade Ethyl Acetate is widely used in general industrial applications where a high level of purity is required but pharmaceutical or food-grade compliance is not necessary.

Typical purity: Approximately 99% or higher, depending on supplier specification.

Applications

• Paints and coatings
• Lacquers and varnishes
• Adhesives
• Printing inks
• Industrial cleaning
• Chemical processing
• General-purpose solvent applications

Urethane Grade

Urethane-grade Ethyl Acetate is a high-purity solvent designed for applications where controlled moisture and impurity levels are important, particularly in polyurethane coatings and adhesive systems.

Low water content is important because moisture can react with isocyanate-containing materials and adversely affect polyurethane formulations.

Applications

• Polyurethane coatings
• Polyurethane adhesives
• Sealants
• Moisture-sensitive formulations
• Specialty coating systems

Note: Actual purity and water-content requirements depend on the formulation and manufacturer’s specification.

Food / Flavor / FCC Grade

Food- or flavor-grade Ethyl Acetate is manufactured and tested to meet the relevant specifications for its intended food or flavor application.

Depending on the applicable standard, specifications may include limits for:

• Assay
• Acidity
• Water
• Non-volatile residue
• Other specified impurities

Applications

• Flavor and fragrance applications
• Food processing
• Extraction applications
• Coffee and tea decaffeination

The material should meet the applicable regulatory requirements for the intended market and use.

Pharmaceutical Grade

Pharmaceutical-grade Ethyl Acetate is manufactured and controlled according to the applicable pharmaceutical quality requirements and, where applicable, relevant pharmacopoeial standards such as USP/NF or Ph. Eur.

Applications

• Pharmaceutical processing
• Extraction and purification
• Drug manufacturing processes
• Chemical synthesis
• Process-solvent applications

Specific compliance, manufacturing, and GMP requirements should be confirmed against the applicable product documentation and customer requirements.

Laboratory / Reagent Grades

High-purity Ethyl Acetate is also available in specialized laboratory grades for analytical and research applications.

ACS Grade

ACS-grade Ethyl Acetate is manufactured to meet the applicable specifications of the American Chemical Society for reagent chemicals.

HPLC Grade

HPLC-grade Ethyl Acetate is specially purified for chromatographic applications where solvent purity and low levels of interfering impurities are important.

GC Grade

GC-grade Ethyl Acetate is purified for gas chromatographic applications and is controlled for impurities that could interfere with analytical results.