Methanol is the simplest saturated mono alcohol with the molecular formula CH3OH, also known as "wood alcohol" or "wood essence". It is a colorless and volatile liquid with alcohol odor, which can be produced from coal, natural gas and biomass. Methanol is one of the basic components of methanol gasoline.

Its characteristics:

Methanol is an flammable hydrocarbon that burns in air. The molecular weight of methanol vapor is slightly greater than that of air (32 vs. 28 g/mol). Therefore, depending on the environment in which it is released, methanol vapor may accumulate in narrow viewing Spaces and low-lying areas. Methanol is perfectly miscible with water. A solution consisting of 75% water and 25% methanol can be regarded as an inflammable liquid.

Methanol contains one carbon atom and is therefore the simplest alcohol derived from common saturated hydrocarbons, namely methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), and propane (C3H6). Two - and three-carbon derived alcohols are ethanol and propyl alcohol, respectively. The chemical names of alcohols are derived from the names of the corresponding hydrocarbon groups. The accepted naming convention is to drop the ending "-e" and add "-ol". The common alcohols - methanol (CH3OH), ethanol (C2H5OH) and propyl alcohol (C3H5OH) have similar physical and chemical properties. With the increase of the number of carbon atoms in the alcohol molecule, the length of the direct carbon chain will increase, the molecular weight of the alcohol molecule will increase, the freezing point temperature will decrease, and the boiling point temperature will increase.