The method of making ethyl acetate at home
If you want to make ethyl acetate at home, you need to understand the reason and be careful. Ethyl acetate has a fragrant taste and is very useful in many fields such as chemical industry and medicine. The method of preparing at home is as follows.

First prepare the required things, a certain amount of acetic acid and an appropriate amount of ethanol, both of which are the base materials for making ethyl acetate. A temperature-resistant container is also required to support the reaction quality, such as a glass flask, because it can see the change of the reaction. Another heating device, such as an alcohol lamp, is also required to provide the temperature required for the reaction. A condensing device, such as a condenser, is also required to make the steam generated by the reaction into a liquid for easy collection.

Pour acetic acid and ethanol into the flask in an appropriate ratio, usually with a molar ratio of acetic acid to ethanol of about 1:1.5. In this ratio, the reaction can be more sufficient and the amount of product is abundant. Then slowly add a few drops of concentrated sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid is used as a catalyst in this reaction to promote the speed of the reaction, but it is highly corrosive, so be careful when adding it.

Place the flask on the heater and heat it with low heat. Do not heat it suddenly to prevent the reactants from boiling and overflowing, causing danger. When heating, the liquid in the flask can be seen gradually boiling and steam rising. The steam passes through the condenser, and when it is cold, it becomes a liquid and flows into the receiving vessel. This liquid contains the prepared ethyl acetate.

After the reaction is completed, the product may contain unreacted acetic acid, ethanol and catalyst sulfuric acid. It can be washed with a saturated sodium carbonate solution first. Sodium carbonate can react with acetic acid, except for the acid in it, and can reduce the solubility of ethyl acetate in water, which is conducive to stratification. After the stratification is completed, take the oily liquid of the upper layer to obtain a relatively pure ethyl acetate.

Homemade ethyl acetate, although it can give a glimpse of the beauty of chemistry, there are many dangerous chemical substances. When operating, be sure to strictly abide by the procedures and proceed with caution, so that there is no security.