Indonesian Journal of Chemistry and Environment Vol. 5, No 2, December 2022, pp. 51 ~ 57 ISSN: 2599-3186  51 Journal homepage: https://journal.uny.ac.id/index.php/ijoce Synthesis of Vanillyl Acetate through Fischer Esterification of Acetic Acid and Vanillyl Alcohol Product of Vanillyl Reduction Chintya Ayu Jayawijayanti & Cornelia Budimarwanti* Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta Article Info ABSTRACT Article history: Received: November 20 th , 2022 Revised: December 12 th , 2022 Accepted: December 31 th , 2022 The aims of this research are (1) synthesis of vanillyl alcohol compounds using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and synthesis of vanillyl acetate compounds through Fischer esterification reaction between acetic acid and vanillyl alcohol from reduced product of vanillin, (2) characterization of vanillyl alcohol compounds and vanillyl acetate compounds using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), Fourier transform Infrared (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GS-MS). Vanillyl alcohol was obtained by reducing the aldehyde group of vanillin using sodium borohydride (NaBH4). Through the Fischer esterification reaction between the reduced compound of vanillin and acetic acid using H2SO4 as a catalyst, vanillyl acetate was characterized using TLC, FTIR, and GC-MS. The identification results using TLC showed the appearance of the functional group OH alcohol and CO alcohol in the area of 3442.22 cm - 1 and 1153.99 cm -1 on the IR spectrum of vanillyl alcohol. Identification using GC-MS stated that vanillyl alcohol has a purity of 91.13% of 154 m/z value in the yield of 59.74%. The results of the esterification reaction form the brown solids with a yield of 63.98%. Meanwhile, the characterization results using TLC showed that the synthesis of vanillyl acetate has been formed by the appearance of the functional group C=O ester at a wave number of 1738.59 cm -1 and CO ester at 1274,2 cm -1 on the IR spectrum of vanillyl acetate. *Corresponding Author: Cornelia Budimarwanti Department of Chemistry Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta Email: cornelia_budimarwanti@uny.ac.id Keyword: vanillyl acetate, reduction, esterification 1. INTRODUCTION Vanillin or 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde is an aromatic aldehyde compound that has the molecular formula C8H8O3. Functional groups of Vanillin are methoxy, hydroxy, and aldehyde groups. The reduced aldehyde group in the vanillin compound will produce a new compound, namely vanillyl alcohol. To reducing the aldehyde group of vanillin, sodium borohydride (NaBH4) can be used (Fowler, 1992). Sodium borohydride has the chemical formula NaBH4. The reagent can be used in alcohol solvents or alkaline solvents in water (Clark, 2004). The use of NaBH4 regent due to its unreactive nature with water so it is safer than lithium aluminum hydride with the chemical formula LiAlH4 (Fessenden & Fessenden, 1998). Vanillic alcohol compounds can be used in the formation of ester compounds (Budimarwanti, 2009). The synthesis of ester compounds is obtained through the Fischer esterification reaction. Esterification can be carried out using enzyme catalysts and inorganic acids (sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid) with various alcohol variations (Ozgulsun, Karaosmanoglu & Tuter, 2000; Endo, Sanae & Kenshiro, 1997). Vanillyl alcohol compounds can be reacted with acetic acid through a Fischer esterification reaction with the help of a sulfuric acid as a catalyst (H2SO4) to produce a vanillyl acetate compound. The esterification process between carboxylic acids and alcohols using an acid catalyst has