Ethyl oxalate appears as a colorless liquid. Slightly denser than water and insoluble in water. Hence sinks in water. May irritate skin and mucous membranes; may be mildly toxic by ingestion; may emit irritating fumes in a fire. Vapors are much heavier than air. Used as a solvent for plastics and in the manufacture of perfumes and pharmaceuticals.

It is mainly used in the pharmaceutical industry as an intermediate for drugs such as phenobarbital, azathioprine, sulfadoxine, sulfamethoxazole, carbenicillin, piperacillin, chloroquine lactate, thiabendazole, etc. It is also an intermediate for plastic accelerators and dyes. It is also used as a solvent for cellulose esters and fragrances, as an acetylene extractant, and as a raw material for dyes, pharmaceuticals, fragrances, etc.

It is often used as a substrate for nucleophilic reagents, mainly in the synthesis of α,γ-dicarbonyl esters [1–3], ketones [4–9], heterocyclic compounds [10–13], etc.

It is used as a solvent, dye intermediate, and in the synthesis of paints and pharmaceuticals.