Methyl benzoate comes as a crystalline solid or as a solid dissolved in a liquid. Density is greater than water. Contact may be slightly irritating to skin, eyes and mucous membranes. May be slightly toxic if ingested. Used in the manufacture of other chemicals.
Methyl benzoate is a benzoic acid ester obtained by condensation of benzoic acid and methanol. It functions as a metabolite and an insect attractant. It is parabens and methyl esters.
Methyl benzoate is a natural product found in organisms such as muscadine grapes and honeysuckle for which data are available.
Methyl benzoate is an organic compound. It is an ester with the chemical formula C6H5CO2CH3. It is a colorless liquid, poorly soluble in water, but miscible in organic solvents. Methyl benzoate has a pleasant smell strongly reminiscent of the fruit of the feijoa tree, which is used in perfumery. It is also used as a solvent and as an insecticide to attract insects such as orchid bees.
Methyl benzoate is formed by the condensation of methanol and benzoic acid in the presence of a strong acid. [1] [2]
Depending on the substrate, methyl benzoate reacts both on the ring and on the ester. The electrophile attacks the ring, illustrated by acid-catalyzed nitration with nitric acid to give methyl 3-nitrobenzoate. The nucleophile attacks the carbonyl center, illustrated by the hydrolysis with the addition of aqueous NaOH to give methanol and sodium benzoate.
