| Chemical Properties | All isomers of amyl acetate are highly flammable,
colorless to yellow, watery liquids. |
| Physical properties | Colorless liquid with a sweet, banana-like odor. A detection odor threshold concentration of 275
μg/m3 (52 ppbv) was reported by Punter (1983). Cometto-Mu?iz and Cain (1991) reported an
average nasal pungency threshold concentration of 1,650 ppmv. |
| Uses | Banana essence. Used as test odorant in studies of olfactory function and in studies of the psychosocial effects of odor. |
| Uses | A colorless liquid made by adding sulfuric acid to a mixture
of amyl alcohol and acetic acid with subsequent recovery
by distillation. It is slightly soluble in water but insoluble
in alcohol. Amyl acetate was used as one of the solvents
in making celluloid film and as fuel for the Alteneck lamp,
adopted as the standard light in sensitometry by the International
Congress of Photography in 1889. |
| Uses | n-Amyl acetate is used as a solvent forlacquers and paints; in fabrics’ printing; innail polish; and as a flavoring agent. |
| Definition | ChEBI: An acetate ester of pentanol. |
| Production Methods | n-Amyl acetate is the produced by the esterification of
N-amyl alcohol with acetic acid. |
| Synthesis Reference(s) | Synthetic Communications, 21, p. 1545, 1991 DOI: 10.1080/00397919108021051
Tetrahedron Letters, 50, p. 395, 2009 DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2008.11.024
The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 45, p. 2915, 1980 DOI: 10.1021/jo01302a035 |
| General Description | A mixture of isomers. A clear colorless liquid with a banana-like odor. Flash point varies from 65°F. to 95°F. Less dense (at 7.2 lb / gal) than water and slightly soluble in water. Hence floats on water. Vapors heavier than air. |
| Air & Water Reactions | Highly flammable. Slightly soluble in water. |
| Reactivity Profile | AMYL ACETATE 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. Amyl acetate is incompatible with the following: Nitrates; strong oxidizers, alkalis & acids . |
| Hazard | Flammable, high fire risk. Explosive limits
in air 1.1–7.5%.
|
| Health Hazard | n-Amyl acetate is a narcotic, an irritant tothe eyes and respiratory passage, and at highconcentrations, an anesthesia. Exposure toabout 300 ppm in air for 30 minutes mayproduce eye irritation in humans. Higherconcentrations (>1000 ppm) may produceheadache, somnolence, and narcotic effects.Exposure to 5200 ppm for 8 hours was lethalto rats. It is more toxic than the loweraliphatic esters. An LD50 value in rats iswithin the range 6000 mg/kg. |
| Fire Hazard | HIGHLY FLAMMABLE: Will be easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames. Vapors may form explosive mixtures with air. Vapors may travel to source of ignition and flash back. Most vapors are heavier than air. They will spread along ground and collect in low or confined areas (sewers, basements, tanks). Vapor explosion hazard indoors, outdoors or in sewers. Runoff to sewer may create fire or explosion hazard. Containers may explode when heated. Many liquids are lighter than water. |
| Chemical Reactivity | Reactivity with Water No reaction; Reactivity with Common Materials: No reaction; Stability During Transport: Stable; Neutralizing Agents for Acids and Caustics: Not pertinent; Polymerization: Not pertinent; Inhibitor of Polymerization: Not pertinent. |
| Safety Profile | Moderately toxic by
intraperitoneal route. Human systemic
effects by inhalation: conjunctiva irritation,
headache, and somnolence. A human eye
irritant. Apparently more toxic than butyl
acetate. Chronic toxicity is of a low order.
Dangerous fire hazard when exposed to heat
or flame; can react with oxidizing materials.
Moderately explosive in the form of vapor
when exposed to flame. To fight fire, use
alcohol foam, dry chemical. When heated to
decomposition it emits acrid smoke and
irritating fumes. See also ESTERS, AMYL
ALCOHOL, and ACETIC ACID. |
| Potential Exposure | (n-isomer): Primary irritant (w/o allergic
reaction), (sec-isomer) Human Data. Amyl acetates are
used as industrial solvents and in the manufacturing and
dry-cleaning industry; making artificial fruit-flavoring
agents; cements, coated papers, lacquers; in medications
as an inflammatory agent; pet repellents, insecticides and
miticide. Many other uses. |
| Carcinogenicity | Not listed by ACGIH, California
Proposition 65, IARC, NTP, or OSHA. |
| Source | Identified among 139 volatile compounds identified in cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var.
reticulates cv. Sol Real) using an automated rapid headspace solid phase microextraction method
(Beaulieu and Grimm, 2001). |
| Environmental fate | Chemical/Physical. Hydrolyzes in water forming acetic acid and 1-pentanol.
At an influent concentration of 985 mg/L, treatment with GAC resulted in an effluent
concentration of 119 mg/L. The adsorbability of the carbon used was 175 mg/g carbon (Guisti et
al., 1974). |
| Shipping | UN1993 Flammable liquids, n.o.s., Hazard
Class: 3; Labels: 3-Flammable liquid, Technical Name
Required. |
| Purification Methods | Shake the ester with saturated NaHCO3 solution until neutral, washed it with water, dry with MgSO4 and distil it. The ester has also been purfied by repeated fractional distillation through an efficient column or spinning band column. [Timmermann & Hennant-Roland J Chim Phys 52 223 1955, Mumford & Phillips J Chem Soc 75 1950, 1H NMR: Crawford & Foster Can J Phys 34 653 1956, Beilstein 2 IV 152.] |
| Incompatibilities | Vapors may form explosive mixture with
air. Incompatible with oxidizers (chlorates, nitrates, peroxides,
permanganates, perchlorates, chlorine, bromine, fluorine,
etc.); contact may cause fires or explosions. Keep
away from alkaline materials, strong bases, strong acids,
oxoacids, epoxides, nitrates. May soften certain plastics. |
| 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.
In accordance with 40CFR165, follow recommendations for
the disposal of pesticides and pesticide containers. Must be
disposed properly by following package label directions or
by contacting your local or federal environmental control
agency, or by contacting your regional EPA office. |
