Butyl Acetate: Uses and Commercial Manufacturing Method

Butyl acetate is a clear, colorless liquid with a fruity odor. It has a variety of industry and consumer uses with its main end-user markets including paints, lacquers, coatings, cosmetics, leather, cleaning and the pharmaceutical industries.

Uses

Normal Butyl acetate's most common industry use is in the production of lacquers and paints as a solvent. Additionally, it is used in the manufacturing of artificial leather, plastics adhesives and hardened coatings and topcoats.  

It is commonly used in the pharmaceutical industry as a solvent or an extraction agent for processing oils and coatings. Alternative industry uses include lubricants, intermediaries, fruit flouring and various additives.

Butyl acetate is found in several cosmetic products, including as a flavouring solvent in perfumes, in fabrics and leather, in cleaning and care products for vehicles, air, and personal use and as an anticorrosive agent.

Commercial Manufacturing Method

The most common method of manufacturing butyl acetate commercially is by the esterification of butanol and acetic acid which are then heated by a catalyst such as sulfuric acid. If an isomer of butanol is used instead, you will form an isomer of butyl acetate.