The History of Methyl alcohol

Lab equipments, tests, PVT ........etc
Post Reply
qiuranxuan
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2011 3:13 pm

The History of Methyl alcohol

Post by qiuranxuan »

Methyl alcohol is a chemical with the formula CH3OH (often abbreviated MeOH).
In their embalming process, the ancient Egyptians used a mixture of substances, including methanol, which they obtained from the pyrolysis of wood. Pure methanol, however, was first isolated in 1661 by Robert Boyle, when he produced it via the distillation of buxus (boxwood). It later became known as "pyroxylic spirit". In 1834, the French chemists Jean-Baptiste Dumas and Eugene Peligot determined its elemental composition.
They also introduced the word "methylene" to organic chemistry, forming it from Greek methy = "wine" + hȳlē = wood (patch of trees). The term "methyl" was derived in about 1840 by back-formation from "methylene", and was then applied to describe "methyl alcohol". This was shortened to "methanol" in 1892 by the International Conference on Chemical Nomenclature. The suffix -yl used in organic chemistry to form names of carbon groups, was extracted from the word "methyl".
In 1923, the German chemists Alwin Mittasch and Mathias Pier, working for BASF, developed a means to convert synthesis gas (a mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen) into methanol. A patent was filed Jan 12 1926 (reference no. 1,569,775). This process used a chromium and manganese oxide catalyst, and required extremely vigorous conditions
Post Reply