Solvent · low polarity
Ethyl acetate C4H8O2
Also: EtOAc
Common mid-polarity solvent in normal-phase HPLC and TLC on silica; frequent GC solvent and headspace/extraction solvent; sample-prep and liquid-liquid extraction solvent. Higher UV cutoff (~256 nm) limits use in low-UV HPLC detection.
Compiled by Hemant RawatLast reviewed July 2026How we verify
Properties
- Formula
- C4H8O2
- CAS number
- 141-78-6
- UV cutoff
- 256 nm
- Snyder polarity index (P′)
- 4.4
- Selectivity group
- VIa
- Eluotropic strength ε° (silica)
- 0.38
- Boiling point
- 77.1 °C
- Viscosity (25 °C)
- 0.43 cP
- Refractive index (nD²⁰)
- 1.3724
- Density
- 0.902 g/mL
- Water miscibility
- partial
- USP <467> class
- Class 3
Safety
- highly flammable liquid and vapor
- eye irritant
- may cause drowsiness or dizziness (CNS)
- not classified as carcinogen or reprotoxic
Reference only. Solvents can be flammable, toxic, or peroxide-forming. Always consult the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and your lab's protocols before handling.
What Ethyl acetate mixes with
Miscible with: 1-Propanol, 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,4-Dioxane, 2-Propanol, Acetic acid, Acetone, Acetonitrile, Benzene, Carbon tetrachloride, Chloroform, Cyclohexane, Dichloromethane, Diethyl ether, Dimethyl sulfoxide, Ethanol, Iso-octane, Methanol, Methyl ethyl ketone, Methyl isobutyl ketone, MTBE, n-Butanol, n-Butyl acetate, n-Heptane, n-Hexane, N-Methylpyrrolidone, n-Pentane, N,N-Dimethylacetamide, N,N-Dimethylformamide, Pyridine, tert-Butanol, Tetrahydrofuran, Toluene, Triethylamine.
Partially miscible with: Water — mix only over a limited range.
Check any specific pair on the interactive miscibility chart.
Using Ethyl acetate in HPLC/GC
Common mid-polarity solvent in normal-phase HPLC and TLC on silica; frequent GC solvent and headspace/extraction solvent; sample-prep and liquid-liquid extraction solvent. Higher UV cutoff (~256 nm) limits use in low-UV HPLC detection.
Its Snyder polarity index is 4.4 (selectivity group VIa), and its UV cutoff of 256 nm limits low-wavelength UV detection.See what the polarity index means and the full UV cutoff table.
Sources
- University of Toronto (TRACES) — Burdick & Jackson — Solvent UV cutoff table (absorbance = 1 AU, 1 cm cell)
- Stenutz / L. R. Snyder — Solvent polarity index (P′) and selectivity groups
- NIST — Chemistry WebBook — thermophysical properties (BP, density, refractive index)
- PubChem (NIH/NLM) — Compound property records (physical constants, CAS, formula)
- USP <467> / ICH Q3C — Residual Solvents — solvent classification (Class 1/2/3)
Values are compiled from public references and were last verified July 2026. See ourmethodologyfor how we source and verify. Always confirm critical values against primary references and the SDS.