This paper reports experimental densities, surface tensions and refractive indexes of the ternary system (propyl propanoate + hexane + ethylbenzene) and of the corresponding binary mixtures (propyl propanoate + ethylbenzene) and (hexane + ethylbenzene) at the temperature 298.15 K and atmospheric pressure, over the whole composition range. Also, the excess molar volumes, surface tension deviations and changes in the refractive index on mixing have been calculated. The experimental values were compared with the results obtained by the empirical expressions Jacob and Fitzner, Kohler, Colinet, Knobeloch-Schwartz, Tsao and Smith, Toop, Scatchard et al., Hillert, and Mathieson-Tynne for estimating excess ternary properties from binary data. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.