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Ethyl formate is a simple aliphatic ester that is full of benefits and concerns. It鈥檚 a clear, slightly oily liquid with a pleasant, rumlike odor and the flavor of raspberries.
The ester occurs in many food substances, including fruits, coffee, tea, and grains. The synthetic product is often used as a flavoring agent in lemonade and artificial alcoholic beverages. It is used industrially as a solvent and as a fungicide and larvicide in processed foods such as dried fruits and cereals.
In its pure form, ethyl formate has several dangerous properties, as shown in the hazard information box (a new Molecule of the Week feature in 2018鈥擡d.).
In 2009, researchers at Cornell University and the University of Cologne detected聽鈥攕pecifically, in the Sagittarius B2 dust cloud at the center of the Milky Way. Four years later, scientists in Spain and France聽, this time in the Orion constellation. Discoveries of this and many other organic molecules in space give some researchers hope that extraterrestrial life can exist.
Ethyl formate聽hazard information
GHS* classification: flammable liquids, category 2 | |
H225鈥擧ighly flammable liquid and vapor | ![]() |
GHS classification: acute toxicity, oral and inhalation, category 4 | |
H302/H332鈥擧armful if swallowed or if inhaled | ![]() |
GHS classification: eye irritation, category 2A | |
H319鈥擟auses serious eye irritation | ![]() |
GHS classification: specific target organ toxicity鈥攕ingle exposure, category 3, respiratory system | |
H335鈥擬ay cause respiratory irritation | ![]() |
*Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.聽.
Ethyl formate聽fast facts
CAS Reg. No. | 109-94-4 |
Molar mass | 74.08 g/mol聽 |
Formula | C3H6O2 |
Appearance | Colorless liquid聽 |
Boiling point | 54 潞C |
Water solubility | 88 g/L |

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