The industrial preparation of methanol from water gas
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CHEMISTRY OF METHANOL
METHANOL
Common name: Methyl alcohol or wood spirit
IUPAC name: Methanol
Chemical formula: CH3-OH
INDUSTRIAL PREPARATION OF METHANOL
On industrial scale methanol is prepared from a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The gaseous mixture is subjected to 200 atmospheres and then passed over heated catalyst mixture of ZnO and Cr2O3 kept at 400O C to 450O C. This reaction results the formation of methanol vapours which are then condensed to liquid state.
CO + 2H2 CH3-OH
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF METHANOL
It is a colorless liquid.
It is highly volatile and less viscous.
Its boiling point is 64.7O C.
It is a poisonous liquid.
It is miscible in water.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF METHANOL
ESTER FORMATION
CH3-OH + CH3COOH = CH3-COO-CH3 +H2O
REACTION WITH HALOGEN ACID (in the presence of ZnCl2)
CH3-OH + HCl CH3-Cl + H2O
OXIDATION [Formation of formaldehyde]
In the presence of potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) in acidic medium, on heating, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde.
CH3-OH + [O]HCHO + H2O