Etymology and History
- Ethanol is the systematic name defined by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
- The eth- prefix and the qualifier ethyl in ethyl alcohol originally came from the name ethyl assigned in 1834.
- The name ethanol was coined as a result of a resolution on naming alcohols and phenols.
- The term alcohol now refers to a wider class of substances in chemistry nomenclature.
- The use of alcohol for ethanol is modern and was first recorded in 1753.
Medical Uses
- Ethanol is used as a general anesthetic during surgery in ancient Mesopotamia and in medieval times.
- It is used in medical wipes and hand sanitizer gels as an antiseptic for its bactericidal and anti-fungal effects.
- Ethanol may be administered as an antidote to ethylene glycol poisoning and methanol poisoning.
- It is used to dissolve many water-insoluble medications and related compounds.
- Ethanol is used as a recreational drug and is one of the most commonly consumed psychoactive drugs.
- Ethanol is used as an anesthetic, inducing anesthetic coma at certain concentrations.
- It is used as an antiseptic for its bactericidal and anti-fungal effects.
- Ethanol is administered as an antidote to ethylene glycol poisoning and methanol poisoning.
- It is used as a solvent to dissolve water-insoluble medications and related compounds.
- Ethanol is used in over 700 liquid preparations of medicine as an antimicrobial preservative.
- Ethanol is primarily metabolized in the liver and stomach by alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes.
- The resulting intermediate, acetaldehyde, is a known carcinogen and poses greater toxicity in humans.
- The oxidation of acetaldehyde into acetate is performed by aldehyde dehydrogenase enzymes.
- Mutations in ALDH2 and ADH1B genes affect the metabolism of ethanol in certain populations.
- Acetaldehyde toxicity is responsible for many symptoms associated with alcohol intoxication.
Recreational Use and Regulation
- Ethanol is a central nervous system depressant and one of the most commonly consumed psychoactive drugs.
- Despite its psychoactive, addictive, and carcinogenic properties, ethanol is readily available and legal in most countries.
- Laws regulate the sale, exportation/importation, taxation, manufacturing, consumption, and possession of alcoholic beverages.
Fuel
- Corn vs ethanol production in the United States
- Total corn production (bushels)
- Corn used for Ethanol fuel (bushels)
- Percent of corn used for Ethanol
- Energy content (lower heating value) of some fuels compared with ethanol
- Largest single use of ethanol is as an engine fuel and fuel additive
- Brazil heavily relies on ethanol as an engine fuel
- Gasoline sold in Brazil contains at least 25% anhydrous ethanol
- US primarily uses E10 and E85 ethanol/gasoline mixtures
- Ethanol reduces harmful tailpipe emissions and greenhouse gas emissions compared to gasoline
- Ethanol was commonly used as fuel in early bipropellant rockets
- German V-2 rocket used ethanol mixed with water to reduce combustion chamber temperature
- Alcohols fell into disuse as more energy-dense rocket fuels were developed
- Ethanol is currently used in lightweight rocket-powered racing aircraft
- Ethanol is an attractive alternative for fuel cells
- Commercial fuel cells operate on reformed natural gas, hydrogen, or methanol
- Ethanol is widely available, low cost, high purity, and low toxicity
- Various fuel cell concepts using ethanol are being researched and commercialized
- Ethanol fuel cells have potential for wide application
- Ethanol fireplaces can be used for home heating or decoration
- Ethanol can be used as stove fuel for cooking
Physical Properties and Natural Occurrence
- Ethanol is a volatile, colorless liquid with a slight odor.
- It burns with a smokeless blue flame.
- Ethanol's physical properties are influenced by its hydroxyl group and short carbon chain.
- The hydroxyl group allows ethanol to participate in hydrogen bonding, making it more viscous and less volatile than similar organic compounds.
- Ethanol has an adiabatic flame temperature of 2082 °C or 3779 °F.
- Ethanol is a versatile solvent, miscible with water and many organic solvents.
- It can dissolve substances like acetic acid, acetone, benzene, and more.
- Ethanol is also miscible with light aliphatic hydrocarbons and aliphatic chlorides.
- Longer-chain alcohols have reduced water miscibility compared to ethanol.
- Ethanol-water mixtures have less volume than the sum of their individual components.
- Ethanol has a flash point of 13°C (55°F) and can ignite below room temperature.
- An ethanol-water solution will catch fire when heated above its flash point with an ignition source.
- Ethanol is considered a flammable liquid in concentrations above 2.35% by mass.
- Flash points of ethanol-water mixtures vary with different ethanol mass fractions.
- Ethanol is used for culinary effects in dishes called flambé.
- Ethanol is a byproduct of yeast metabolism and can be found in yeast habitats.
- Overripe fruit commonly contains ethanol.
- Ethanol is produced by symbiotic yeast in bertam palm blossoms.
- Some animal species exhibit ethanol-seeking behaviors, while others show no interest or avoidance.
- Ethanol is produced during the germination of many plants and has been detected in outer space.
- Ethanol can be produced as a petrochemical through the hydration of ethylene.
- It can also be produced via biological processes.
- Denatured ethanol, with a concentration of 94%, is commonly sold for household use.
- Ethanol is used in the production of various products, including fuels, solvents, and pharmaceuticals.
- The production of ethanol contributes to the global biofuels industry.
Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3CH2OH. It is an alcohol, with its formula also written as C2H5OH, C2H6O or EtOH, where Et stands for ethyl. Ethanol is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid with a characteristic wine-like odor and pungent taste. It is a psychoactive recreational drug, and the active ingredient in alcoholic drinks.
| |||
| |||
| |||
| Names | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈɛθənɒl/ | ||
| Preferred IUPAC name
Ethanol | |||
Other names
| |||
| Identifiers | |||
3D model (JSmol)
|
|||
| 3DMet | |||
| 1718733 | |||
| ChEBI | |||
| ChEMBL | |||
| ChemSpider | |||
| DrugBank | |||
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.526 | ||
| 787 | |||
| KEGG | |||
PubChem CID
|
|||
| UNII | |||
| UN number | UN 1170 | ||
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
|
|||
| |||
| |||
| Properties | |||
| C2H6O | |||
| Molar mass | 46.069 g·mol−1 | ||
| Appearance | Colourless liquid | ||
| Odor | wine-like, pungent | ||
| Density | 0.78945 g/cm3 (at 20 °C) | ||
| Melting point | −114.14 ± 0.03 °C (−173.45 ± 0.05 °F; 159.01 ± 0.03 K) | ||
| Boiling point | 78.23 ± 0.09 °C (172.81 ± 0.16 °F; 351.38 ± 0.09 K) | ||
| Miscible | |||
| log P | −0.18 | ||
| Vapor pressure | 5.95 kPa (at 20 °C) | ||
| Acidity (pKa) | 15.9 (H2O), 29.8 (DMSO) | ||
| −33.60·10−6 cm3/mol | |||
Refractive index (nD)
|
1.3611 | ||
| Viscosity | 1.2 mPa·s (at 20 °C), 1.074 mPa·s (at 25 °C) | ||
| 1.69 D | |||
| Hazards | |||
| GHS labelling: | |||
 
| |||
| Danger | |||
| H225, H319 | |||
| P210, P233, P240, P241, P242, P305+P351+P338 | |||
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |||
| Flash point | 14 °C (Absolute) | ||
| Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |||
LD50 (median dose)
|
| ||
| NIOSH (US health exposure limits): | |||
PEL (Permissible)
|
TWA 1000 ppm (1900 mg/m3) | ||
REL (Recommended)
|
TWA 1000 ppm (1900 mg/m3) | ||
IDLH (Immediate danger)
|
3300 ppm | ||
| Safety data sheet (SDS) | |||
| Related compounds | |||
Related compounds
|
|||
| Supplementary data page | |||
| Ethanol (data page) | |||
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
| |||
Ethanol is naturally produced by the fermentation process of sugars by yeasts or via petrochemical processes such as ethylene hydration. Historically it was used as a general anesthetic, and has modern medical applications as an antiseptic, disinfectant, solvent for some medications, and antidote for methanol poisoning and ethylene glycol poisoning. It is used as a chemical solvent and in the synthesis of organic compounds, and as a fuel source. Ethanol also can be dehydrated to make ethylene, an important chemical feedstock. As of 2006, world production of ethanol was 51 gigalitres (1.3×1010 US gallons), coming mostly from Brazil and the U.S.
