9992. Vinyl Acetate

Nomenclature

CAS number: 108-05-4
Acetic acid ethenyl ester; acetic acid vinyl ester; acetoxyethene; acetoxyethylene; ethenyl acetate.
C4H6O2; mol wt 86.09.
C 55.81%, H 7.02%, O 37.17%.

Description and references

Prepn: Schnizer, US 2859241 (1958 to Celanese); Sharp, Steitz, US 2860159 (1958 to Pan Am. Petroleum); Foster, Tobler, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 83, 851 (1961). Toxicity data: Smyth, Carpenter, J. Ind. Hyg. Toxicol. 30, 63 (1948). Study of chronic human exposure: Deese, Joyner, Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 30, 449 (1969). Reviews: Leonard “Vinyl Acetate” in Vinyl and Diene Monomers (part 1), E. C. Leonard, Ed. (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 1970) pp 263-328; Faith, Keyes & Clark's Industrial Chemicals, F. A. Lowenheim, M. K. Moran, Eds (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 4th ed., 1975) pp 862-867; W. Daniels, “Poly(Vinyl Acetate)” in Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology vol. 23 (Wiley-Interscience, New York, 3rd ed., 1983) pp 817-847. Review of toxicology and human exposure: Toxicological Profile for Vinyl Acetate (PB93-110898, 1992) 166 pp.

Chemical structure

Properties

Liquid; sweet, fruity odor. Polymerizes in light to a colorless, transparent mass. bp 72.7°. mp 100°; also reported as mp 93° (Daniels). d420 0.932. Flammable. Flash pt, closed cup: 18°F (8°C). Soly in water (20°): 1 g/50 ml. Misc with alc, ether. Sol in acetone, benzene, chloroform. LD50 orally in rats: 2.92 g/kg (Smyth, Carpenter).

Caution

Potential symptoms of overexposure are irritation of eyes, skin, nose, throat; hoarseness, cough; loss of smell; eye burns, skin blisters. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140, 1997) p 328.

Use

In polymerized form for plastic masses, films and lacquers; in plastic film for food packaging. As modifier for food starch.