Alcohols Alcohols occur widely and have many industrial and pharmaceutical applications Methanol is one of the most important of all industrial chemicals Called wood alcohol because historically it was prepared by heating wood in the absence of air Approximately 1.3 billion gallons are manufactured each year in the United States by catalytic reduction of carbon monoxide with hydrogen 400℃ C0+2H2 Zinc oxide/chromia CH3OH catalyst Toxic to humans Industrially used as a solvent and as a starting material for production of formaldehyde(CH2O)and acetic acid(CHCO2H)Alcohols occur widely and have many industrial and pharmaceutical applications ▪ Methanol is one of the most important of all industrial chemicals ▪ Called wood alcohol because historically it was prepared by heating wood in the absence of air ▪ Approximately 1.3 billion gallons are manufactured each year in the United States by catalytic reduction of carbon monoxide with hydrogen ▪ Toxic to humans ▪ Industrially used as a solvent and as a starting material for production of formaldehyde (CH2O) and acetic acid (CH3CO2H) Alcohols