sec-Butyl acetate, or s-butyl acetate, is an ester commonly used as a solvent in lacquers and enamels, where it is used in the production of acyclic polymers, vinyl resins, and nitrocellulose."Acetic acid", Ullman's encyclopedia of industrial chemistry (2003, 6th ed., Vol. 1, pp. 170–171). Weinheim, Germany: Wiley-VCH. It is a clear flammable liquid with a sweet smell (solvent, fruity, banana).Howard, H. H. (1993). sec-Butyl acetate. In Handbook of environmental fate and exposure data for organic chemists (Vol. 5, pp. 60–65). Chelsea, MI: Lewis.
sec-Butyl acetate has three isomers that are also acetate esters: n-butyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, and tert-butyl acetate.
History
The first method of production of sec-butyl acetate was the esterification of sec-butanol and acetic anhydrideAltschul, R. (1946). "The Reversible Esterification of Carboxylic Acids with Isobutene and Trimethylethylene. Quantitative Studies and Synthetic Applications", Journal of the American Chemical Society, 68(12), 2605–2609. It was experimentally determined and published in 1946 by Rolf Altschul.
Toxicology
The for rats is 13g/kg.Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety. (1996). 2-Butyl acetate. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from CHEMINFO database. Exposure in humans to significant quantities of sec-butyl acetate can cause irritation to the eyes, mouth, throat, nose, and skin.International Programme on Chemical Safety. (2003). sec-Butyl acetate. Retrieved February 20, 2009, from INCHEM database. Ingestion and inhalation of sec-butyl acetate can cause central nervous system depression producing symptoms of dizziness and disorientation.
Nomenclature
sec-Butyl acetate is chiral. It has one stereocenter, carbon 2 in the sec-butyl group. The names of the two enantiomers are: [(2S)-butan-2-yl] acetate, (+)-sec-butyl acetate [(2R)-butan-2-yl] acetate, (−)-sec-butyl acetate
References
External links ChemExpr.com CDC - NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards