Methanol also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, or wood spirit was formerly produced by the destructive distillation of wood, that is, the decomposition of wood by heating it in the absence of air.
It has been in use since ancient times. For instance, methanol obtained from wood was one of the different substances used by ancient Egyptians for embalming. This clear, flammable, and toxic liquid can cause blindness, if repeatedly inhaled or ingested.
The older names for methanol such as spirit of wood and wood alcohol came into use because it is a by-product of distillation of wood, a process discovered by an Irish chemist named Robert Boyle. He synthesised pure methanol in 1661.
Nowadays, carbon monoxide gas is combined directly with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst for methanol preparation. However, syngas, which is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide derived from biomass, is more commonly used for methanol production.
Pure methanol is an important material in chemical synthesis. It is used in rocket fuel and added to fuel mixtures to stretch the life of gasoline.
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