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- Methanol
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- Methanol, or methyl alcohol is the simplest form of organic alcohols.
- Originally methanol was formed by the destruction of wood. Today,
- preparation of methanol is based on the direct combination of
- hydrogen and carbon monoxide gas in the presence of a catalyst. Most
- of today's methanol is made from the methane found in natural gas.
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- Because of its volatile nature and organic production capability,
- methanol is an important option to gasoline fuels. Methanol is clean
- burning and has a high octane. Methanol is used in making automotive
- antifreeze. Methanol also has many uses in the synthetic industry as
- well as being used for rocket fuel and solvents.
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- Methanol is very poisonous and there have been several cases of death
- and blindness attributed to drinking mixtures containing it.
- Methanol derived from wood is chiefly used for making ethyl alcohol
- unfit to drink.
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