| Description | Methyl acetate belongs to the class of organic compounds known as carboxylic acid esters. These are carboxylic acid derivatives in which the carbon atom from the carbonyl group is attached to an alkyl or an aryl moiety through an oxygen atom (forming an ester group). Methyl acetate is present in apple, grape, banana and other fruits. Methyl acetate is a flavouring ingredient and it is an ester that, in the laboratory, is synthesized from acetic acid and methanol in the presence of strong acids such as sulfuric acid in an esterification reaction. In the presence of strong bases such as sodium hydroxide or strong acids such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid it is hydrolyzed back into methanol and acetic acid, especially at elevated temperature. Methyl acetate, also known as acetic acid methyl ester or methyl ethanoate, is a clear, flammable liquid with a characteristic, not unpleasant smell like certain glues or nail polish removers. Methyl acetate has characteristics very similar to its analog ethyl acetate. Methyl acetate is used as a solvent in glues, paints, and nail polish removers, in chemical reactions, and for extractions. Methyl acetate is a non-polar (lipophilic) to weakly polar (hydrophilic) aprotic solvent. Methyl acetate has a solubility of 25% in water at room temperature. At elevated temperature its solubility in water is much higher. Methyl acetate is not stable in the presence of strong aqueous bases or acids. The conversion of methyl acetate back into its components, by an acid, is a first-order reaction with respect to the ester. The reaction of methyl acetate and a base, for example sodium hydroxide, is a second-order reaction with respect to both reactants |
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