Ethyl sulfate process in which ethylene is reacted with sulfuric acid to produce ethyl sulfate followed by hydrolysis, but this method has been mostly replaced by direct hydration of ethylene. Ethyl sulfate can be produced in a laboratory setting by reacting ethanol with sulfuric acid under a gentle boil, while keeping the reaction below 140 °C. The sulfuric acid must be added dropwise or the reaction must be actively cooled because the reaction itself is highly exothermic. If the temperature exceeds 140 °C, the ethyl sulfate product tends to react with residual ethanol starting material, producing diethyl ether. If the temperature exceeds
Ethyl cyanoacrylate Ethyl cyanoacrylate is prepared by the condensation of formaldehyde with ethyl cyanoacetate:<chem>CH2 (C#N) CO2 Et + CH2O -> CH2=C (C#N) CO2 Et + H2O</chem>This exothermic reaction affords the polymer, which is subsequently sintered, thermally "cracked" to give the monomer. Alternatively, it can be prepared by the ethoxycarbonylation of cyanoacetylene. Ethyl cyanoacrylate is used for gluing various materials. It is also used in medicine, for liquid bandages and for suture-less surgery, but it is used less often than the less toxic "n"-butyl and octyl cyanoacrylates. Off-the-shelf non-medical-grade glues are unsuitable for medical applications, as they may contain solvents (e.g. methyl alcohol)