2. REACTIONS OF METHANOL
• Reaction with active metals.
• Reaction of methanol with acids.
• Oxidation of methanol.
Reactions
involving
cleavage of
O-H bond
• Reaction with halogen acid.
• Reaction with Phosphorous Tribromide.
• Reaction with Phosphorous Pentachloride.
• Reduction of methanol.
Reactions
involving
cleavage of
C-O bond
10. APPLICATIONS OF METHANOL
• Pure methanol can be used directly in internal
combustion engines of vehicles and aircraft, with
similar efficiency to diesel engines.
Fuel
• Methanol can be used to produce biodiesel, in a
reaction of trans esterification of lipids.
• This product may be used in its pure form or
blended with petroleum diesel.
Biodiesel
• Both in the lab and in many industrial settings,
methanol is the solvent of choice for many
applications.
• Widely used as solvents in paints and resins.
Solvent
11. APPLICATIONS OF METHANOL
• It can be converted to formaldehyde during the process
of manufacturing of paints, explosives and plastics.
• In preparation of dimethyl ether, which is an aerosol
spray propellent to replace Chloroflourocarbon.
Reagent
• Methanol is used as a denaturing agent added to
synthetic ethanol to prevent its consumption.
• It is used in polyacrylamide gel electrophorosis as a
denaturing agent and also in HPLC & spectroscopy.
Denaturing
Agent
• A small amount of methanol is added to waste water to
provide a carbon food source for the denitrifying
bacteria, which convert nitrates to nitrogen, and thus
reducing the danger of nitrification.
Waste Water
Treatment
12. APPLICATIONS OF METHANOL
• These are proton exchange cells which rely on
methanol as fuel by oxidation of methanol to CO2.
• It’s application to power small appliances, such as
mobile phone or laptop.
Direct
Methanol Fuel
Cells
• In some high performance internal combustion
engines, a mixture of methanol and H2O is sprayed
into the fuel to cool the system down.
• Here methanol prevents the water from freezing.
Water
Methanol
Injection
• It is used as fuel in camping stoves. Methanol can
burn even with an unpressurised burner.
• This type of burner can have extremely simple design,
with low risk of malfunction.
Camping
Stove
13. APPLICATIONS OF METHANOL
• In early 1970’s, methanol to gasoline process was
developed by Mobil industry for producing gasoline
ready for use in vehicles.
• Low levels of methanol is blended in gasoline fuel.
Manufacture
Of Gasoline
• Methanol was used as a rough rocket fuel by the
German Military Service, mostly during WWII.
• This was basically a 50/50 mixture with hydrazine
and was known as C-Stoff.
Rocket
Fuel
• Methanol was once used as antifreeze in the car’s
cooling system, but this has been replaced with
alternatives such as propylene or ethylene glycol.
• However , it’s still popular as windshield washer fluid.
Antifreeze
