PRODUCTION OF BENZYL ACETATE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain benzyl acetate by using an inexpensive alkali, because conventional method for producing benzyl acetate, which needs to use expensive anhydrous potassium acetate, is not satisfactory as industrial manufacturing method. SOLUTION: When producing benzyl chloride by reacting benzyl chloride with an alkali in the presence of an excess amount of acetic acid in water- containing state, the reaction is carried out in the presence of acetic acid in an amount of >=1.1mol and =1.0 equivalent based on 1mol benzyl chloride and in a smaller number of equivalent than the number of mol of coexisting acetic acid.