methanol

Also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha, wood spirits, Columbian spirits, MeOH, CH3OH, wood spirit

Methanol (also called methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, and wood spirit, amongst other names) is an organic chemical compound and the simplest aliphatic alcohol, with the chemical formula (a methyl group linked to a hydroxyl group, often abbreviated as MeOH). It is a light, volatile, colorless and flammable liquid with a distinctive alcoholic odor similar to that of ethanol (potable alcohol), but is more acutely toxic than the latter. Methanol acquired the name wood alcohol because it was once produced through destructive distillation of wood. Today, methanol is mainly produced industrially by hyd

AI overview

Methanol is a simple, colorless, flammable liquid chemical that is much more toxic than drinking alcohol, despite having a similar smell. It was historically made by distilling wood, though today it is produced industrially through other methods.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Chemical data

Formula: CH4O
Molecular weight: 32.042 g/mol
IUPAC name: methanol
SMILES: CO
InChIKey: OKKJLVBELUTLKV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
XLogP: -0.5
Polar surface area: 20.2 Å²
H-bond donors: 1
H-bond acceptors: 1
Formal charge: 0

via PubChem

Research

102,088 papers

A review of methanol poisoning: a crisis beyond ocular toxicology.Cutaneous and ocular toxicology · 2020Pressman P, Clemens R, Sahu S et al.DOI: 10.1080/15569527.2020.1768402
Methanol-Free Protein Expression in Komagataella phaffii With Magnetic or Non-Magnetic Heating.Microbial biotechnology · 2025Dagci I, Arslan SY, Solak K et al.DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.70183
Methanol and acetone extracts from the leaves of selected aromatic plants affect survival of field collected Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae) from Kisumu, Kenya.Journal of medical entomology · 2023Wangrawa DW, Yaméogo F, Sombié A et al.DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad066
Hepatoprotective effect of methanol extract of Agave americana leaves on paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar albino rats.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2023Ayenew KD, Wasihun YDOI: 10.1186/s12906-023-03931-y
Methanol: a chemical Trojan horse as the root of the inscrutable U.Medical hypotheses · 2010Monte WCDOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2009.09.059
Treatment of acute methanol poisoning with fomepizole.Intensive care medicine · 2001Mégarbane B, Borron SW, Trout H et al.DOI: 10.1007/s001340101011
[Spectral interactions of cytochrome P-450 with n-heptane and methanol].ReviewFolia medica Cracoviensia · 1990Szutowski MM, Brzdekiewicz D
Whole-cell biocatalytic synthesis of S-(4-chlorophenyl)-(pyridin-2-yl) methanol in a liquid-liquid biphasic microreaction system.Bioresource technology · 2021Chen Q, Guo M, Bi Y et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125022

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Mass: 32.026
Autonomy: 440

Show 26 more facts

upper flammable limit: 36
Commons category: Methanol
canonical SMILES: CO
vapor pressure: 13020
NIOSH Pocket Guide ID: 0397
molar fusion enthalpy: 3167.29
speed of sound: 1121
density: 0.79
molar enthalpy of vaporization: 37400
combustion enthalpy: -726.4
ionization energy: 10.84
immediately dangerous to life or health: 7860
melting point: -97.68
boiling point: 64.6
flash point: 52
lower flammable limit: 6
time-weighted average exposure limit: 260
short-term exposure limit: 325
pKa: 15.5
dynamic viscosity: 0.000544
standard molar entropy: 239.9
electric dipole moment: 1.70
chemical formula: CH₄O
standard enthalpy of formation: -200660
MCN code: 2905.11.00
specific heat capacity: 9.798

Sources (15)

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Article

22 sections

Contents

Occurrence
Interstellar medium
Applications
Production of formaldehyde, acetic acid, methyl ''tert''-butyl ether
Methanol to hydrocarbons, olefins, gasoline
Gasoline additive
Other chemicals
Niche and potential uses
Energy carrier
Fuel
Other applications
Production
From synthesis gas
Biosynthesis
Green methanol
Quality specifications and analysis
Safety
Toxicity
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Methanol consists of a methyl group linked to a polar hydroxyl group. With more than 20 million tons produced annually, it is used as a precursor to other commodity chemicals, including formaldehyde, acetic acid, methyl tert-butyl ether, methyl benzoate, anisole, peroxyacids, as well as a host of more specialized chemicals.