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.
Related solvents
Other selectivity group VIa to compare with Ethyl acetate.