Benzyl acetate is naturally present in ylang oil, neroli oil, hyacinth oil, tuberose oil, and gardenia oil, and industrial production is generally performed as follows.

Under the catalysis of sulfuric acid, benzyl alcohol and glacial acetic acid were mixed and heated to esterify. After the reaction was completed, the mixture was neutralized with an alkali and then washed with water until neutral. After drying with anhydrous calcium chloride, the product was distilled under reduced pressure. A small amount of boric acid was added before distillation to allow excess benzyl alcohol to react with it to form high boiling benzyl borate and remain in the still.

CH3COOH+C6H5CH2OH[H2SO4]→CH3CHOOCH2C6H5+H2O

The finished product is obtained by reacting benzyl chloride with sodium acetate, and the chlorine in the product must be divisible. This method yields up to 80%.

CH3COONa+C6H5CH2ClCH3COOCH2C6H5+NaCl

1kg of benzyl alcohol and 2kg of anhydrous sodium acetate were successively added to 1.2kg of acetic anhydride, slowly heated to 100°C, 40g of anhydrous sodium acetate was added after the reaction was moderated, and the reaction was refluxed for 8h. After cooling, it was washed with water, neutralized with 10% NaOH solution, washed again with water until neutral, and finally dried with anhydrous calcium chloride and distilled under reduced pressure to obtain the product.

(CH3CO)2+C6H5CH2OH[NaAc]→C3H7COOCH2C6H5+CH3COOH