methanal
Definition
Noun: 1. Formaldehyde: A colorless, pungent-smelling, poisonous gas with the chemical formula HCHO. It is produced industrially, most commonly by the oxidation of methanol, and is used in making resins, as a disinfectant, and as a preservative.
Usage Notes
- Technical Term: "Methanal" is the systematic IUPAC name for the compound more commonly known as "formaldehyde." It is primarily used in scientific, industrial, and technical contexts.
- State: While its pure form at room temperature is a gas, it is often handled and discussed as an aqueous solution (formalin).
Examples
- Noun:
- The laboratory used methanal to preserve biological specimens.
- Industrial production of methanal involves the catalytic oxidation of methanol.
- Exposure to high levels of methanal gas can be hazardous to health.
Advanced Usage
- As a Precursor: In industrial chemistry, methanal is a fundamental building block (precursor) for many plastics and synthetic resins, such as urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde resins.
- In Biology and Medicine: Its aqueous solution, formalin, is a critical fixative and preservative for tissue samples.
Variants and Related Words
- Formaldehyde (n): The common name for methanal.
- Formalin (n): A saturated aqueous solution containing approximately 37% formaldehyde by mass, used as a disinfectant and preservative.
- Methanol (n): Methyl alcohol (CH₃OH), the compound oxidized to produce methanal.
Synonyms
- Formaldehyde
- Methyl aldehyde
- Oxomethane (IUPAC name variant)
Notes on Meaning
- The definition focuses on the chemical compound itself. In common parlance, the word "formaldehyde" is vastly more frequent than "methanal," except in strict scientific nomenclature.
Noun
-
a colorless poisonous gas; made by the oxidation of methanol
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