Chemical Properties
tert-Butyl acetate or t-butyl acetate is a colorless flammable liquid with a camphoror
blueberry-like smell. It is used as a solvent in the production of lacquers, enamels, inks,
adhesives, thinners, and industrial cleaners. It is also used as an additive to improve the
antiknock properties of motor fuels. tert-Butyl acetate has three isomers: n-butyl acetate,
isobutyl acetate, and sec-butyl acetate.
General Description
Colorless liquid with a mild odor. Floats on water. Produces irritating vapor.
Reactivity Profile
TERT-BUTYL ACETATE(540-88-5) is an ester. Esters react with acids to liberate heat along with alcohols and acids. Strong oxidizing acids may cause a vigorous reaction that is sufficiently exothermic to ignite the reaction products. Heat is also generated by the interaction of esters with caustic solutions. Flammable hydrogen is generated by mixing esters with alkali metals and hydrides. This compound is incompatible with the following: Nitrates; strong oxidizers, alkalis & acids .
Air & Water Reactions
Highly flammable. Insoluble in water.
Hazard
Flammable, moderate fire risk. Eye and
upper respiratory tract irritant.
Health Hazard
Exposure to tert-butyl acetate causes eye, skin, and respiratory irritation in workers. By
analogy with the effects of exposure to similar esters, tert-butyl acetate may act as a CNS
depressant at high concentrations. The signs and symptoms of acute exposure to tert-butyl
acetate include, but are not limited to, itchy or inflamed eyes and irritation of the nose and
upper respiratory tract. Exposures to tert-butyl acetate at high concentrations may cause
headache, drowsiness, and other narcotic effects.
Health Hazard
INHALATION: Irritation of throat. EYES: Irritation.
Potential Exposure
n-Butyl acetate is an important solvent
in the production of lacquers, leather and airplane dopes,
and perfumes. It is used as a solvent and gasoline additive.
sec-Butyl acetate is used as a widely used solvent for
nitrocellulose, nail enamels and many different purposes.
tert-Butyl acetate is common industrial solvent used in the
making of lacquers, artificial leather, airplane dope, perfume; and as a food additive. Isobutyl acetate is used as a
solvent and in perfumes and artificial flavoring materials
First aid
If this chemical gets into the eyes, remove any
contact lenses at once and irrigate immediately for at least15 minutes, occasionally lifting upper and lower lids. Seek
medical attention immediately. If this chemical contacts the
skin, remove contaminated clothing and wash immediately
with soap and water. Seek medical attention immediately.
If this chemical has been inhaled, remove from exposure,
begin rescue breathing (using universal precautions, including resuscitation mask) if breathing has stopped and CPR if
heart action has stopped. Transfer promptly to a medical
facility. When this chemical has been swallowed, get medical attention. Give large quantities of salt water and induce
vomiting. Do not make an unconscious person vomit.
Shipping
UN1123 Butyl acetates, Hazard Class: 3; Labels:
3—Flammable liquid.
Incompatibilities
All butyl acetates are incompatible with
nitrates, strong oxidizers; strong alkalies; strong acids.
Butyl acetates may form explosive mixture with air; reacts
with water, on standing, to form acetic acid and n-butyl
alcohol. Violent reaction with strong oxidizers and
potassium-tert-butoxide. Dissolves rubber, many plastics,
resins and some coatings. May accumulate static electrical
charges, and may cause ignition of its vapors
Waste Disposal
Dissolve or mix the material
with a combustible solvent and burn in a chemical
incinerator equipped with an afterburner and scrubber.
All federal, state, and local environmental regulations
must be observed.
Physical properties
Colorless liquid with a fruity odor. Odor threshold concentration in water is 4 ppm (CHRIS,
1994). Nagata and Takeuchi (1990) reported an odor threshold concentration of 71 ppbv.
Uses
As gasoline additive (Wheeler et al.).
Uses
Gasoline additive; lacquer solvent
Uses
Tert-butyl Acetate is a common solvent used in the production of various industrial cleansers, thinners and adhesives and is also known as a VOC.
Application
tert-Butyl acetate can be used to convert:
Aromatic nitriles to the corresponding N-tert-butylamides catalyzed by sulfuric acid.
S-tert-Butyl-L-cysteine hydrochloride to S-tert-butyl-L-cysteine tert-butyl ester hydrochloride.
Lanthanide isopropoxides to lanthanide tert-butoxides in cyclohexane.
Production Methods
tert-Butyl acetate is prepared from isobutylene reacting with
acetic acid in the liquid phase with vanadium pentoxideimpregnated
silica as the catalyst and with heat to increase
the yield .
Synthesis Reference(s)
Organic Syntheses, Coll. Vol. 3, p. 142, 1955
Synthesis, p. 1015, 1987
Tetrahedron Letters, 37, p. 4555, 1996
DOI: 10.1016/0040-4039(96)00902-1
Flammability and Explosibility
Highlyflammable
Environmental Fate
Chemical/Physical. Hydrolyzes in water to tert-butyl alcohol and acetic acid. The estimated
hydrolysis half-life at 25 °C and pH 7 is 140 yr (Mabey and Mill, 1978).
Purification Methods
Wash the ester with 5% Na2CO3 solution, then saturated aqueous CaCl2, dry with CaSO4 and distil it. [McClosky et al. Org Synth Coll Vol IV 263 1963, Mangia et al. Org Prep Proc Int 18 13 1986, Beilstein 2 IV 151.]
