Final answer:
Ethyl acetate is a solvent used in varnishes and nail polish remover, and it is produced by heating acetic acid and ethanol in the presence of sulfuric acid. It is also used to extract caffeine from coffee and to remove nail polish and paint.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ethyl acetate is a sweet-smelling solvent used in varnishes and fingernail polish remover. It is produced industrially by heating acetic acid and ethanol together in the presence of sulfuric acid, which is added to speed up the reaction. The ethyl acetate is distilled off as it is formed.
Ethyl acetate (CH, CO₂C₂H5) is the solvent in many fingernail polish removers and is used to decaffeinate coffee beans and tea leaves. It is prepared by reacting ethanol (C₂H5OH) with acetic acid (CH₂CO₂H); the other product is water. A small amount of sulfuric acid is used to accelerate the reaction, but the sulfuric acid is not consumed and does not appear in the balanced chemical equation.
Esters are common solvents. Ethyl acetate is used to extract organic solutes from aqueous solutions-for example, to remove caffeine from coffee. It also is used to remove nail polish and paint.