Methyl acrylate is a volatile chemical compound classified as a methyl ester. It has a characteristic acrid odor used in the preparation of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer

Dendrimer

Dendrimers are repetitively branched molecules. The name comes from the Greek word "δένδρον" , which translates to "tree". Synonymous terms for dendrimer include arborols and cascade molecules. However, dendrimer is currently the internationally accepted term. A dendrimer is typically symmetric...

s typically by Michael addition with a primary amine

Amine

Amines are organic compounds and functional groups that contain a basic nitrogen atom with a lone pair. Amines are derivatives of ammonia, wherein one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by a substituent such as an alkyl or aryl group. Important amines include amino acids, biogenic amines,...

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Methyl acrylate is a potential contact allergen present in nail lacquer.

It can be used as a co-polymer in the process of polymerization

Polymerization

In polymer chemistry, polymerization is a process of reacting monomer molecules together in a chemical reaction to form three-dimensional networks or polymer chains...

 of polyanionic cellulose (PAC) polymers, to reduce the glass transition temperature of the PAC polymers.

Methyl acrylate is reagent used in the synthesis of various pharmaceutical intermediates.