Ethyl butyrate

Overview

Ethyl butyrate is an organic compound with the molecular formula C6H12O2.

Identifiers

Formula

C6H12O2

Functional group

Esters

Molar mass

116.16 g/mol

Also known as

ethyl butanoate, Butyric acid ethyl ester, Ethyl n-butyrate, Butanoic acid, ethyl ester, Ethyl n-butanoate, Butyric ether

Properties

Melting Point

-97 °C

Boiling Point

120-121 °C

Density

0.8735 g/cu cm at 25 °C

Water solubility

In water, 4.9X10+3 mg/L at 20 °C

Related compounds

• Esters

  Ethyl butyrate is an organic compound with the molecular formula C6H12O2.

Connected reactions

• Esterification: Butanoic acid → Ethyl butyrate

  Ethanol oxygen bonds to the acid carbonyl carbon, followed by proton transfer and water loss. The product joins a butanoyl fragment to an ethoxy group.

• Acid hydrolysis: Ethyl butyrate → Butanoic acid

  Water attack and proton transfers permit the ethoxy fragment to leave as ethanol. Re-forming the carbonyl produces butanoic acid on the other branch.

• Acid hydrolysis: Ethyl butyrate → Ethanol

  Water attack and proton transfers permit the ethoxy fragment to leave as ethanol. Re-forming the carbonyl produces butanoic acid on the other branch.

References

1. PubChem Compound Summary: Ethyl butyrate (CID 7762)National Center for Biotechnology Information · PubChem

   Identity, molecular formula, molecular weight and aliases retrieved via PUG REST on 2026-09-08.

2. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Ethyl butyrate — melting pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

   Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/7762#section=Melting-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 95th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2014-2015, p. 3-252

3. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Ethyl butyrate — boiling pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

   Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/7762#section=Boiling-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013., p. 699

4. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Ethyl butyrate — densityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

   Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/7762#section=Density. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013., p. 3-252

5. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Ethyl butyrate — solubilityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

   Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/7762#section=Solubility. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Riddick, J.A., W.B. Bunger, Sakano T.K. Techniques of Chemistry 4th ed., Volume II. Organic Solvents. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons., 1985.