Product Description
Ethyl Formate, also known as ethyl methanoate, is a colorless, low-viscosity liquid with a characteristic fruity odor. It is used in selected flavor and fragrance formulations, particularly those designed to produce rum, apricot, peach, pineapple, mixed-fruit, and sherry notes.
Ethyl Formate occurs naturally in various fruits and other natural products, and has been reported in sources such as honey, strawberries, raspberries, onions, apples, pears, orange juice, brandy, and rum. These occurrences contribute to its relevance in flavor chemistry and aroma research.
Industrial production of Ethyl Formate commonly involves the esterification of ethanol with formic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst, such as sulfuric acid. The resulting product is then purified through suitable separation and distillation processes to meet the required specifications.
For food and beverage applications, the product's grade, purity, and regulatory compliance should be verified against the requirements of the target market.
Product Parameters
| Melting point | -80 °C (lit.) |
| Boiling point | 52-54 °C (lit.) |
| density | 0.921 g/mL at 20 °C (lit.) |
| vapor density | 2.5 (vs air) |
| vapor pressure | 15.16 psi ( 55 °C) |
| refractive index | n20/D 1.359(lit.) |
| FEMA | 2434 | ETHYL FORMATE |
| Fp | 7 °F |
| storage temp. | 2-8°C |
| solubility | Miscible with alcohol, benzene, and ether (Hawley, 1981) |
| form | Liquid |
| color | Clear |
| Odor | Characteristic; pleasant aromatic. |
| Odor Threshold | 2.7ppm |
| Odor Type | ethereal |
| biological source | synthetic |
| explosive limit | 0.16 |
| Water Solubility | 11 g/100 mL (18 ºC) |
| Thermal Conductivity | 0.16 W/(m·K) at 25 ℃ |
| Sensitive | Moisture Sensitive |
| JECFA Number | 26 |
| Merck | 143807 |
| BRN | 906769 |
| Henry's Law Constant | 0.097(x 10-3 atmm3/mol) at 5.00 °C, 0.13 at 10.00 °C, 0.17 at 15.00 °C, 0.23 at 20.00 °C, 0.29 at 25.00 °C (column stripping-UV, Kutsuna et al., 2005) |
| Dielectric constant | 8.4（6℃） |
| Exposure limits | TLV-TWA 100 ppm (～300 mg/m3) (ACGIH, MSHA, and OSHA); IDLH 8000 ppm (NIOSH). |
| Stability: | Stable. Extremely flammable. May form explosive mixtures with air. Note low flash point and wide explosive limits. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents, strong bases, strong acids, nitrates. |
| Major Application | agriculture |
| cleaning products | |
| cosmetics | |
| environmental | |
| flavors and fragrances | |
| food and beverages | |
| personal care | |
| Cosmetics Ingredients Functions | PERFUMING |
| InChI | 1S/C3H6O2/c1-2-5-3-4/h3H,2H2,1H3 |
| InChIKey | WBJINCZRORDGAQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| SMILES | CCOC=O |
| LogP | 1.504 at 25℃ |
| CAS DataBase Reference | 109-94-4(CAS DataBase Reference) |
| NIST Chemistry Reference | Formic acid, ethyl ester(109-94-4) |
| EPA Substance Registry System | Ethyl formate (109-94-4) |
Safety Information
| Hazard Codes | F,Xn |
| Risk Statements | 11-20/22-36/37 |
| Safety Statements | 9-16-24-26-33 |
| OEB | A |
| OEL | TWA: 100 ppm (300 mg/m3) |
| RIDADR | UN 1190 |
| WGK Germany | 1 |
| RTECS | LQ8400000 |
| Autoignition Temperature | 851 °F |
| TSCA | TSCA listed |
| HazardClass | 3 |
| PackingGroup | II |
| HS Code | 29151300 |
| Storage Class | 3 - Flammable liquids |
| Hazard Classifications | Acute Tox. 4 Inhalation |
| Acute Tox. 4 Oral | |
| Eye Irrit. 2 | |
| Flam. Liq. 2 | |
| STOT SE 3 | |
| Hazardous Substances Data | 109-94-4(Hazardous Substances Data) |
| Toxicity | LD50 orally in rats: 4.29 g/kg (Smyth) |
| IDLA | 1,500 ppm |
Application Scenarios
Ethyl Formate is a versatile organic compound used in selected industrial and chemical synthesis applications. Its key applications include:
Industrial Solvent: Used as a solvent for nitrocellulose and cellulose acetate in certain formulations and processing applications, subject to compatibility and process requirements.
Pharmaceutical Intermediate: May be used as a building block or reagent in specialized organic synthesis routes. Its specific role in the synthesis of pyrimidine compounds, including uracil, cytosine, and thymine, should be confirmed for the intended manufacturing process.
Ethyl Formate is volatile and flammable. Appropriate ventilation, ignition-source control, and safe handling procedures should be followed in industrial environments.
