Butyl butyrate

Butyl butyrate is a C4 carboxylate ester with a fruity odor. It is insoluble in water, but is miscible with ethanol, glycols, and diethyl ether. Butyl butyrate is found in many foods; the most common ones being milk and milk products, butter, fruits, and alcoholic beverages. Industrially, butyl butyrate finds many applications in paint, coatings, inks, cosmetics, detergents, textiles, fibers, plastics, and pharmaceuticals.
 
Butyl butyrate is also used for organic synthesis and can also be used as a specialty solvent and a fragrance chemical. As a specialty solvent, butyl butyrate is used as a carrier for nitrocellulose, shellac, coumarone resin or as an extractant in the processing of petroleum products. Butyl butyrate is also a safer replacement for the cellosolves in the manufacturing of circuit boards.
 
In the petroleum applications, butyl butyrate offers high octane rating (≈97.3), a low melting point (≤− 47°C), a flash point (>38 °C); and is miscible with diesel, kerosene, gasoline, jet fuel, and grain alcohol. Due to these attributes, butyl butyrate is a promising fuel additive.