methanol

/meth"euh nawl', -nol'/, n. Chem.

See methyl alcohol.

[1890-95; METHANE + -OL¹]

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or methyl alcohol or wood alcohol

Simplest of the alcohols, chemical formula CH₃OH. Once produced by destructive distillation of wood, it is now usually made from the methane in natural gas.

Methanol is an important industrial material; its derivatives are used in great quantities for making a vast number of compounds, among them many important synthetic dyes, resins, drugs, and perfumes. It is also used in automotive antifreezes, in rocket fuels, and as a solvent. It is flammable and explosive. A clean-burning fuel, it may substitute (at least in part) for gasoline. It is also used for denaturation of ethanol. A violent poison, it causes blindness and eventually death when drunk.

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▪ chemical compound

also called  methyl alcohol,  wood alcohol , or  wood spirit 

      the simplest of a long series of organic compounds called alcohols; its molecular formula is CH₃OH. Methanol was formerly produced by the destructive distillation of wood. The modern method of preparing methanol is based on the direct combination of carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst. Most methanol is produced from the methane (q.v.) found in natural gas.

      Pure methanol is an important material in chemical synthesis. Its derivatives are used in great quantities for building up a vast number of compounds, among them many important synthetic dyestuffs, resins, drugs, and perfumes. Large quantities are converted to dimethylaniline for dyestuffs and to formaldehyde for synthetic resins. It is also used in automotive antifreezes, in rocket fuels, and as a general solvent. Methanol is also a high-octane, clean-burning fuel that is a potentially important substitute for gasoline in automotive vehicles. The methanol derived from wood is used chiefly for rendering ethyl alcohol unfit to drink.

      Methanol is a colourless liquid that boils at 64.96° C (148.93° F) and solidifies at -93.9° C (-137° F). It forms explosive mixtures with air and burns with a nonluminous flame. It is a violent poison; many cases of blindness or death have been caused by drinking mixtures containing it.

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