Overview

Methyl alcohol (METH-uhl AL-ko-hol) is a clear, colorless, flammable, toxic liquid with a slightly alcoholic odor and taste. Methyl alcohol is the simplest alcohol, a family of organic compounds characterized by the presence of one or more hydroxyl (-OH) groups.

Key Facts

Other Names:

Methanol; wood alcohol; wood spirit; carbinol

Formula:

CH₃OH

Elements:

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen

Compound Type:

Alcohol (organic)

State:

Liquid

Molecular Weight:

32.04 g/mol

Melting Point:

−97.53°C (−143.6°F)

Boiling Point:

64.6°C (148°F)

Solubility:

Miscible with water, ethyl alcohol, ether, acetone, and many other organic solvents

How It Is Made

Methyl alcohol occurs naturally in plants and animals, including humans, as the product of metabolic reactions that occur in all organisms. It also occurs in the atmosphere as the result of the decomposition of dead organisms in the soil. None of these sources is utilized for the commercial production of methyl alcohol. Instead...