Ethyl acetate or what is often called ethyl acetate in trade names, has a molecular formula of (CH3COOCH2CH3) or (C4H8O2) with a molecular weight of 88.106 g/mol. Ethyl acetate is a fairly polar solvent which has the advantages of being volatile, relatively non-toxic, and not hygroscopic. Ethyl acetate is generally made through the esterification process of ethanol and acetic acid.
Physical properties of ethyl acetate
It exhibits the following physical properties:
Colorless liquid
Has a fruity odor like ether
The fatigue point is -83.6℃
Its boiling point is 77.1℃
Chemical Properties of Ethyl Acetate
Some chemical properties of ethyl acetate are listed below:
· Hydrolysis: if it reacts with water, ethyl acetate produces ethanol and acetic acid.
· Reaction with sodium hydroxide: when acetate reacts with sodium hydroxide, producing sodium acetate and ethanol.
· Condensation reaction: ethyl acetate exhibits a Claisen condensation reaction and produces ethyl acetoacetate.
Process Selection
The various ethyl acetate production processes are:
1. Esterification
The esterification process is a process commonly used between cetic acid and ethanol which uses a sulfuric acid catalyst. The reaction that occurs is a reversible reaction, where the conversion of ethyl acetate is 65%. To increase yield, water formation must be minimized.
2. Tischenco
This process is the commercial production of ethyl acetate by converting ethanol into acetaldehyde using an aluminum alkoxide catalyst. Yield in this process is 61%.
3. Synthesis of ethyl acetate from ethylene and acetic acid
Ethyl acetate can be synthesized from ethylene and acetic acid using a solid acid catalyst, for example zeolite. In this reaction, no side products are formed so it can minimize energy for the product purification process.
Process Steps
In general, the steps in the process of forming ethyl acetate from ethanol with acetic acid can be divided into 3 steps, namely:
1. Raw material preparation stage
Ethanol in liquid condition which is stored in a tank at a temperature of 32℃ and a pressure of 1 atm is fed together with the product from the top of the distillation tower to the reactor which is previously passed through a heater to increase the temperature to 70℃. Acetic acid in liquid condition which is stored in the tank flows with the bottom product through distillation to the mixer. Next, it is passed through the heater to increase the temperature to 70℃ before entering the reactor. In making ethyl acetate, a ratio of 1,375 kg: 1,240 kg is used between acetic acid and ethanol.
2. Esterification stage
Acetic acid and ethanol are reacted with a sulfuric acid catalyst in a reactor at a temperature of 70℃ and a pressure of 1 atm. The reaction takes place in a stirred tank flow reactor in the liquid phase, nonadiabatic, isothermal and exothermic conditions. The esterification reaction occurred in 2 reactors arranged in series where the conversions were 45.69% and 65% respectively. The product comes out of the reactor and is fed to the distillation tower.
3. Product separation and purification stage
The product leaving the reactor is passed through a heater to increase the temperature from 70℃ to 88.96℃ and then fed to the distillation tower to separate the product from sulfuric acid and acetic acid. Sulfuric acid and as a result the bottom of the distillation tower are then recycled to the reactor which is previously flowed through the mixer. The top product of the distillation tower containing ethyl acetate, water and a little acetic acid is fed to the distillation tower. The top products, namely ethyl acetate, ethanol, water and acetic acid, are cooled in a cooler to 34.36℃. Next, when the ingredients have cooled, they are transferred to the mixer. In this mixer, the mixture is done by adding water in it. From the mixer, it flows into the decanter to form 2 layers. The top result is ethyl acetate, a little water and a little ethanol. Meanwhile, the bottom result is a mixture of ethanol, water and a little ethyl acetate. The bottom product is then passed through a heater before being fed to the distillation tower, with ethanol as the top product being recycled to the reactor. The bottom product consisting of water and a small amount of ethanol is discarded. The resulting decanter consisting of ethyl acetate, a little ethanol and a little water is fed into the distillation tower after increasing the temperature in the heater. In this distillation tower, ethyl acetate with a purity of 99% is obtained. The impurity consists of 0.7% ethanol and 0.3% water. This product is then stored in a tank after being walled in a cooler.
EA (Ethyl Acetate) is an industrial and organic solvent used in various applications, including varnishes, car care materials, and the hotel industry.
Ethyl acetate is used for a variety of chemical reactions.
Often referred to as non-acetone paint remover.
Solvent for enamel, shellac, dry cleaning and varnish.
As a solvent that can remove stains, grease, nail polish and base coats for manicures.
We provide Ethyl Acetate in jerry cans and drum packaging.
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