Synthesis of ethyl acetate from ethanol and acetic acid
Now we want to use ethanol and acetic acid as raw materials to synthesize ethyl acetate. When the two meet, under suitable conditions, a chemical reaction can take place to form ethyl acetate.

Ethanol has the properties of alcohol, and its molecules contain hydroxyl groups. Acetic acid, a carboxylic acid or the like, carries a carboxyl group structure. The phase combination of the two is actually the interaction between hydroxyl groups and carboxyl groups.

At the time of the reaction, an appropriate catalyst needs to be prepared, usually concentrated sulfuric acid. Concentrated sulfuric acid here has the ability to catalyze, can promote the rate of the reaction, and it also has the property of water absorption, which can make the reaction equilibrium move in the direction of forming ethyl acetate.

The device for the reaction should be selected as a flask or the like to accommodate the reactants. The mouth of the bottle should be equipped with a condenser tube to condense and reflux the escaped steam to increase the utilization rate of raw materials. When heating, the temperature should be controlled and should not be too high to avoid excessive volatilization of raw materials and prevent side reactions.

When the reaction is completed, the product is often mixed with unreacted ethanol, acetic acid and catalysts. To obtain pure ethyl acetate, separation and purification are required. It can be washed with a saturated sodium carbonate solution first. This solution can remove acetic acid, dissolve ethanol, and reduce the solubility of ethyl acetate, making it easy to stratify. After separation, the upper liquid of ethyl acetate is obtained. Then water is removed with a desiccant such as anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and finally distilled to obtain pure ethyl acetate.

This synthesis method is widely used in the chemical industry. Ethyl acetate is an important organic solvent and is indispensable in coatings, inks, fragrances and other industries. It is of great significance to master its synthesis method.