Ethyl acetate is easily hydrolyzed. When water is present at room temperature, it gradually hydrolyzes to produce acetic acid and ethanol. Adding a trace amount of acid or alkali can promote the hydrolysis reaction. Ethyl acetate can also undergo common reaction of general esters such as alcoholysis, aminolysis, transesterification and reduction. In the presence of sodium metal, it condenses on its own to form 3-hydroxy-2-butanone or ethyl acetoacetate; it reacts with Grignard reagent to form a ketone, which is further reacted to obtain a tertiary alcohol. Ethyl acetate is relatively stable to heat, heating at 290 ℃ for 8 to 10 hours without change. It decomposes into ethylene and acetic acid when passing through the red hot iron tube, and decomposes into hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, acetone and ethylene through zinc powder heated to 300~350℃, and can be decomposed into water, ethylene and carbon dioxide through dehydration of alumina at 360℃ And acetone.
Ethyl acetate is decomposed by ultraviolet radiation to produce 55% carbon monoxide, 14% carbon dioxide and 31% hydrogen or methane and other flammable gases. Reacts with ozone to form acetaldehyde and acetic acid. The gaseous hydrogen halide reacts with ethyl acetate to produce halogenated ethane and acetic acid. Among them, hydrogen iodide is the most reactive. Hydrogen chloride needs to be pressurized to decompose at room temperature. It is heated to 150°C with phosphorus pentachloride to produce ethyl chloride and acetyl chloride. Ethyl acetate and metal salts form various crystalline complexes. These complexes are soluble in absolute ethanol but insoluble in ethyl acetate, and are easily hydrolyzed in water.