Ethyl methacrylate
Ethyl methacrylate is the organic compound with the formula C2H5O2CC=CH2. A colorless liquid, it is a common monomer for the preparation of acrylate polymers. It is typically polymerized under free-radical conditions.
Ethyl methacrylate was first obtained by treating ethyl 2-hydroxyisobutyrate with phosphorus pentachloride in a dehydration reaction.
Environmental issues and health hazards
The related methyl and butyl methacrylates have respective acute s of 10 and 20 g/kg ; a linear extrapolation suggests that ethyl methacrylate would have an LD50 of approximately 13 g/kg.Acrylate esters irritate the eyes and can cause blindness.