Ethyl acetate and tea leaves are decaffeinated with this solvent. It is also used in paints as an activator or hardener. Ethyl acetate is present in confectionery, perfumes, and fruits. In perfumes, it evaporates quickly, leaving only the scent of the perfume on the skin. In the laboratory, mixtures containing ethyl acetate are commonly used in column chromatography and extractions. Ethyl acetate is rarely selected as a reaction solvent because it is prone to hydrolysis and transesterification. Ethyl acetate is fairly volatile at room temperature and has a boiling point of . Due to these properties, it can be removed from a
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)