Can n-butyl acetate be used as an NP solvent?

[Zeul Mos]

Butyl acetate is a hydrocarbon (C₆H₁₂O₂) so it basically is non polar. Can it be used as a solvent?

 

[belligerent drunk]

I don't see why not. Ethyl acetate is used a lot as a solvent of medium polarity, n-butyl acetate should be a tad less polar. You can mix it with some petroleum ether or other alkane to reduce polarity if needed. Depends on what you want to use it for.

 

[Bagseed]

as belligerent drunk said, it can be used depending on what you want to use it for. it is of course much less polar than acetic acid, and also less polar than ethyl acetate (because of the longer chain on the ester), but more polar than, for example, petroleum ether (blend of alkanes, mostly hexane) or naphtha.

what do you need it for?

 

[sekio]

yeah, but if you use it in strongly acidic/basic aqueous conditions it will hydrolyse to butanol and acetic acid.