Butyl propionate is a
butyl ester of propionic acid. This ester has the
chemical formula .
Occurrence in nature
Butyl propionate is a plant metabolite, a human metabolite and an insect attractant. Butyl propionate is a natural ester found in
Armenian apricot.
Preparation
Butyl propionate is derived by
esterification of
propionic acid
Propionic acid (, from the Greek words πρῶτος : ''prōtos'', meaning "first", and πίων : ''píōn'', meaning "fat"; also known as propanoic acid) is a naturally occurring carboxylic acid with chemical formula CH3CH2CO2H. It is a liq ...
with
butanol.
:
Properties
Butyl propionate is a colorless liquid with a
pear drops-like or
apple-like odor. The liquid is less dense than
water. Its
vapor is 4.5 times denser than the
air at the
mean ocean level.
Uses
Butyl propionate is used to make
fragrances,
perfumes and as a
flavoring. It is also used in
paints and
primers for
auto body or engine, appliance
coatings (paints designed specifically for painting
household items and
vehicles like
microwave ovens,
refrigerators and
automobiles
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods.
The year 1886 is regarded as ...
),
enamels,
lacquers, and
printing inks, as a
solvent for
adhesives and
nitrocellulose, and in
polymerization reactions for
acrylic resins
186 px, Polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate is a typical acrylate resin.
An acrylic resin is a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic substance typically derived from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and acrylate monomers such as butyl acrylate and or me ...
.
Hazards and toxicity
Butyl propionate may irritate skin and eyes. Exposure to its vapor may cause eye and
respiratory system irritation. Upon ingestion, causes abdominal pain and nausea. This chemical is very
flammable
A combustible material is something that can burn (i.e., ''combust'') in air. A combustible material is flammable if it ignites easily at ambient temperatures. In other words, a combustible material ignites with some effort and a flammable mat ...
. It may ignite even at ambient temperatures. Above , explosive mixtures with air may be formed. Strong
oxidizing acids may cause a violent reaction that is sufficiently
exothermic
In thermodynamics, an exothermic process () is a thermodynamic process or reaction that releases energy from the system to its surroundings, usually in the form of heat, but also in a form of light (e.g. a spark, flame, or flash), electricity (e ...
to ignite this chemical and the reaction products. Upon catching a fire, irritating, toxic and
suffocating gases may be produced, such as
carbon dioxide and
carbon monoxide.
References
{{reflist
Esters
Butyl compounds