2. WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY ALCOHOL?
• Alcohol – any organic compound containing OH-
• Alcohol is used in fuel, paint, disinfectants, plastics and
even beverages.
• Alcohol usually refers to either ethanol or methanol, the
most commonly used members of the alcohol family.
3. METHANOL
CH3OH
• Methanol is extremely toxic to humans
and also very flammable.
• If ingested, it causes hypoxia (lack of
oxygen) in the cells.
• It is used as a denaturant for other
alcohols.
• Also used as an additive for gasoline.
4. DENATURED ALCOHOL
• Alcohol not intended for human
consumption is denatured.
• Denaturation is the process through
which alcohol is rendered unfit for
human consumption for tax reasons.
• A toxic or extremely undesirable tasting
liquid is added to make it impossible for
people to drink.
• Ethanol is denatured before it is used for
chemical purposes.
5. ETHANOL
C2-H5OH
• Ethanol is the most common alcohol, found in
beverages, paints, adhesives, and nail polish
remover.
• Diesel cars can run on 100% ethanol and all cars
can run on a combination of gasoline and ethanol.
6. ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL
C3H8O
• Structural isomer of propyl alcohol.
• Simplest of the secondary alcohols, which have
the OH- attached to the second Carbon.
• Known mostly as “rubbing alcohol”.
7. FERMENTATION/DISTILLATION
• Ethyl alcohol is produced through
fermentation of a grain, typically
corn.
• Methanol was produced through
distillation of wood.
• Methanol is now produced using
water and a nickel catalyst
according to the equation CH4 + H20
CO+ 3H2.
8. WORKS CITED
"Alcohol." Chemistry Daily. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.chemistrydaily.com/chemistry/Alcohol>.
Breedlove, C.H. "Denatured Alcohol." Chemmatters 14 Dec. 1990: 14-15. Print.
"Ethyl Alcohol." Chemistry Daily. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2013.
<http://www.chemistrydaily.com/chemistry/Ethanol>.
Goldsmith, Robert H. "Alcohol." Chemmatters 8 Feb. 1985: 8-11. Print.
Methanol. The Chemical Company. The Chemical Company, n.d. Web. 28 Apr.
2013. <http://www.thechemco.com/chemical/methanol/>.
