CAS 123-86-4 · REACH · European Union

n-Butyl acetate under REACH

C6H12O2 · 乙酸正丁酯

Status: Registered. n-Butyl acetate is fully registered under REACH at the highest tonnage band (>1,000,000 tonnes/year). **Distinguishing pattern: completes acetate ester family (after ethyl acetate batch 23) + acetic acid (batch 19) + n-butanol downstream esterification chain (CH3COOH + n-BuOH → CH3COO-n-Bu + H2O) + paint / coating / lacquer industry premium solvent (medium-evaporation rate vs ethyl acetate fast-evaporation) + structurally similar light hazard profile to ethyl acetate.** Light occupational hazard (Flam. Liq. 3 + STOT SE 3). NOT SVHC. NOT Annex XIV. NOT a drug precursor. NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin n-butyl acetate currently. Note: ETBE / ETB / IBA / OBA isomers (sec-butyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, tert-butyl acetate, n-butyl acetate) all coexist in market; n-butyl acetate (CAS 123-86-4) is the dominant isomer (~85% of butyl acetate market).

n-Butyl acetate is fully REACH-registered with **light occupational hazard profile** (Flam. Liq. 3 + STOT SE 3 only; lighter than ethyl acetate batch 23 which IS Eye Irrit. 2). NOT a drug precursor. NO active EU AD case. NOT in CBAM scope. The dominant economic story for Chinese-origin n-butyl acetate is **acetic acid (batch 19) + n-butanol feedstock cost flow-through** via esterification. End-use mix dominated by paint + coating + lacquer industry (~50%, premium medium-evaporation solvent vs ethyl acetate fast-evaporation), printing ink (~20%), pharmaceutical + cosmetic (~10%), food + flavour (~10%). **Completes acetate ester family with ethyl acetate batch 23 + acetic acid batch 19 downstream esterification chain**. Major Chinese producers: Wanhua Chemical Yantai, Sinopec Yangzi, Sinopec Shanghai, Wujing Chemical Shanghai SECCO, Yangmei Coal-Hengtian, Tianjin Bohua; somewhat larger players than ethyl acetate market. n-Butanol price cycle exposure (oxo-process via propylene + CO + H2 ~70%, fermentation ~30%).

Listing and threshold

Substance n-Butyl acetate (CAS 123-86-4), C6H12O2
Regime EU Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
Jurisdiction European Union (EU-27 plus EEA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway)
Status Registered
Tonnage threshold Registration required for any importer or manufacturer placing >1 t/year on the EU market

Classifications under this regime

  • Harmonised CLP classification: Flam. Liq. 3 (H226, "flammable liquid and vapour"), STOT SE 3 (H336, "may cause drowsiness or dizziness")
  • Signal word: WARNING
  • GHS pictograms: GHS02 (flame), GHS07 (exclamation mark)
  • NOT classified as carcinogen, mutagen, or reproductive toxicant
  • NOT classified as hazardous to the aquatic environment at standard CLP cutoffs
  • IARC: not assigned (not evaluated)
  • NOT subject to Drug Precursors Reg 273/2004
  • NOT subject to Explosives Precursors Reg 2019/1148
  • ADR / RID transport classification: Class 3 (flammable liquid), UN 1123, Packing Group III

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • NOT on REACH Annex XIV (Authorisation list)
  • NOT classified as SVHC
  • NOT subject to any Annex XVII restriction at standard industrial-grade level
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese-origin n-butyl acetate currently
  • NOT in CBAM scope
  • EU Reg 10/2011 food-contact: n-butyl acetate permitted as plastic food-contact monomer + processing aid; SML applies
  • EU food use: n-butyl acetate is regulated as a flavouring substance under Reg (EC) 1334/2008 on flavourings (not under the food-additive E-number framework of Reg 1333/2008; verify against https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2008/1334 and the EU Flavouring Information System)
  • EU Cosmetic Products Regulation 1223/2009: n-butyl acetate permitted in cosmetic products subject to general safety

Importer obligations

A non-EU producer cannot register directly under REACH. The EU importer of record must hold a registration or rely on an Only Representative (OR). Light occupational hazard profile (Flam. Liq. 3 + STOT SE 3 only). NOT a drug precursor. NO active EU AD case. Major Chinese producers compete with EU domestic producers (Celanese Frankfurt + Pampa Argentina + Singapore, BP / Ineos Hull, Eastman Chemical Tennessee). The dominant economic story for Chinese-origin n-butyl acetate is **acetic acid (batch 19) + n-butanol feedstock cost flow-through** via esterification (CH3COOH + n-BuOH → CH3COO-n-Bu + H2O).

Required documents

  • REACH registration number on the EU side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Safety Data Sheet (SDS) compliant with REACH Annex II in destination Member State language(s) reflecting H226 / H336 classification
  • CLP-compliant labelling with GHS02 + GHS07 pictograms and WARNING signal word
  • Customs entry with HS code 291533 (n-butyl acetate)
  • ADR consignment note for transport (Class 3, UN 1123, PG III)
  • Reg 10/2011 food-contact compliance documentation for plastic food-contact downstream applications
  • Reg 1223/2009 cosmetic-product compliance documentation where applicable

Common compliance traps

The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.

  • **Light occupational hazard profile**: Flam. Liq. 3 + STOT SE 3 only (lighter than ethyl acetate batch 23 which IS Eye Irrit. 2)
  • NOT a drug precursor
  • NO active EU AD case on Chinese n-butyl acetate currently
  • NOT in CBAM scope
  • Major Chinese producers (Wanhua Chemical Yantai + Sinopec Yangzi + Sinopec Shanghai + Wujing Chemical Shanghai SECCO + Yangmei Coal-Hengtian + Tianjin Bohua) compete with EU + Korean + Japanese + US producers
  • **Acetic acid (batch 19) + n-butanol feedstock cost flow-through is dominant**: esterification (CH3COOH + n-BuOH → CH3COO-n-Bu + H2O)
  • n-Butanol price cycle exposure: oxo-process via propylene + CO + H2 (~70% of capacity) or fermentation (~30%)
  • End-use mix: paint + coating + lacquer (~50%, premium medium-evaporation solvent), printing ink (~20%), pharmaceutical + cosmetic (~10%), food + flavour (~10%), other (~10%)
  • n-Butyl acetate (CAS 123-86-4) is dominant isomer (~85%); sec-butyl acetate (CAS 105-46-4), isobutyl acetate (CAS 110-19-0), tert-butyl acetate (CAS 540-88-5) are minor isomers with separate CAS numbers

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for n-butyl acetate, see the CAS 123-86-4 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the n-butyl acetate cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

For the structure and history of REACH, see the REACH glossary entry.

Need cross-jurisdiction compliance support on this substance? Run it through the REACH / TSCA / IECSC / AICIS / K-REACH checker, or send us the substance and the destination and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the regulatory work on the destination side.

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Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

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