Butyl butyrate

Chemical properties

CLEAR COLORLESS TO PALE YELLOWISH LIQUID

Chemical properties

Butyl Butyrate is a liquid with a sweet, fruity odor. It is a volatile constituent of many fruits and honey and is used in fruit flavor compositions.

Chemical properties

Butyl butyrate has a fruity (pear–pineapple-like) odor.

Occurrence

Reported found in fresh apple, apple juice, banana, orange juice, orange peel oil, melon, strawberry, Passiflora mollisima, soybean, honey and blue cheese.

The Uses of Butyl butyrate

Butyl butyrate can be used as a reactant to synthesize:

• N

• -(Phenylmethyl)butanamide by reacting with benzylamine via ester-amide exchange reaction in the presence of supported graphene oxide catalyst.
• Cyclohexyl butyrate by acylation reaction with cyclohexanol using a ruthenium pincer PNN complex catalyst.
• Butyl ether by triiron dodecacarbonyl catalyzed hydrosilylation reaction.

The Uses of Butyl butyrate

Flavoring.

The Uses of Butyl butyrate

It is very important for the food and beverages industries and used as perfuming agents. It is a applied as a solvent for resins.

Definition

ChEBI: A butanoate ester of butan-1-ol.

Preparation

By passing vapors of n-butyl alcohol over MnO2 or ZnO at 400°C, also by passing vapors of n-butyl alcohol over CuO-VO at 180 to 200°C.

Aroma threshold values

Detection: 87 to 1000 ppb

Taste threshold values

Taste characteristics at 40 ppm: sweet, fresh, fruity, slightly fatty.

Synthesis Reference(s)

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 69, p. 2605, 1947 DOI: 10.1021/ja01203a011
Organic Syntheses, Coll. Vol. 1, p. 138, 1941
Tetrahedron Letters, 22, p. 5327, 1981 DOI: 10.1016/S0040-4039(01)92493-1

General Description

A colorless liquid. Insoluble in water. A marine pollutant. Poses a threat to the aquatic environment. Immediate steps should be taken to prevent spread to the environment. May penetrate soils and contaminate groundwater and nearby waterways. Mildly irritates the eyes and skin.

Air & Water Reactions

Insoluble in water.

Reactivity Profile

Butyl butyrate reacts with acids to liberate heat along with butyl alcohol and butyric acid. Strong oxidizing acids may cause a vigorous reaction that is sufficiently exothermic to ignite the reaction products. Heat is also generated by interaction with caustic solutions. Flammable hydrogen is generated by mixing with alkali metals and hydrides. May attack some forms of plastics [USCG, 1999].

Hazard

Irritant and narcotic. Moderate fire risk.

Health Hazard

Inhalation or ingestion causes headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and narcosis. Contact with liquid irritates eyes.

Fire Hazard

Some may burn but none ignite readily. Containers may explode when heated. Some may be transported hot.

Flammability and Explosibility

Flammable

Safety Profile

Moderately toxic via intraperitoneal route. Mildly toxic by ingestion. Moderately irritating to eyes, sh, and mucous membranes by inhalation. Narcotic in hgh concentrations. Flammable liquid. To fight fire, use alcohol foam, foam, CO2, dry chemical. Incompatible with oxidizing materials. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid and irritating fumes.