Methanol
The simplest alcohol and the workhorse C1 building block. Toxic by every route of exposure, and it burns with a flame that is almost invisible in daylight.
Molecular Structure
What is Methanol?
Methanol is the simplest alcohol — a single sp³ carbon carrying three hydrogens and a hydroxyl group. Written CH₃OH or CH₄O, it has a molecular weight of just 32.04 g/mol.
That hydroxyl group hydrogen-bonds, which is why a molecule this small is a liquid at all: methanol boils at 64.7 °C where methane, only slightly lighter, boils at −161 °C. It is also completely miscible with water, and that combination of small size, polarity and reactivity is what makes it such a versatile intermediate.
Industrially it comes from synthesis gas — carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen — over a copper-zinc-alumina catalyst at elevated pressure. The feedstock is usually natural gas, though coal-based routes dominate in China, and renewable routes from biomass and captured CO₂ are growing.
Chelora supplies IMPCA-specification methanol at ≥99.85 wt% (Grade AA equivalent), with acetone, ethanol, water, chloride and iron controlled and permanganate time certified. Available in ISO tanks, road tankers and drums.
Quick Reference
Key Physical & Chemical Properties
Structure & Bonding
Methanol is about as simple as an organic molecule gets, but two features drive everything: a hydroxyl group that hydrogen-bonds and reacts, and a single carbon that can be carbonylated, dehydrated or condensed into almost any C1 derivative.
Structure — sp³ carbon with hydroxyl group
Structural Identity
- IUPAC NameMethanol
- Common namesMethyl alcohol, wood alcohol
- Molecular FormulaCH₄O (CH₃OH)
- Molecular Weight32.04 g/mol
- Hybridisationsp³ carbon and oxygen
- Bond lengths1.43 Å C–O; 0.96 Å O–H
- C–O–H bond angle≈ 108.9°
- Dipole moment1.69 D — strongly polar
- SolubilityFully miscible with water
- CAS Number67-56-1
- InChI KeyOKKJLVBELUTLKV-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Product Specifications
Chelora supplies Methanol in standard and custom grades. Contact us for specification sheets tailored to your process.
| Chemical name | Methanol (methyl alcohol) |
|---|---|
| CAS Number | 67-56-1 |
| Molecular formula | CH₄O |
| Molecular weight | 32.04 g/mol |
| Purity (Grade AA / IMPCA) | ≥ 99.85 wt% |
| Appearance | Clear, free of suspended matter |
| Water (max) | ≤ 0.10 wt% (Karl Fischer) |
| Acetone (max) | ≤ 30 mg/kg |
| Ethanol (max) | ≤ 50 mg/kg |
| Chloride as Cl⁻ (max) | ≤ 0.5 mg/kg |
| Total sulfur (max) | ≤ 0.5 mg/kg |
| Iron (max) | ≤ 0.10 mg/kg |
| Acidity as formic acid (max) | ≤ 30 mg/kg |
| Non-volatile matter (max) | ≤ 8 mg/L |
| Permanganate time | ≥ 60 min at 15 °C |
| Colour | ≤ 5 Pt-Co (Hazen) |
| Distillation range | ≤ 1.0 °C, including 64.6 °C |
| Specific gravity | 0.7910 – 0.7930 at 20/20 °C |
| Flash point | 11 °C (closed cup) |
| Autoignition temperature | 464 °C |
| Flammable limits | 6.0 – 36.0% v/v in air |
| UN Number | UN 1230 |
| IMDG / ADR Class | Class 3 (Flammable Liquid), subsidiary risk 6.1, PG II |
Downstream Applications & Derivatives
Key derivative chains and industrial uses of Methanol.
Formaldehyde
Partial oxidation over silver or iron-molybdenum catalyst gives formaldehyde — the largest single methanol derivative — feeding urea and phenolic resins, engineered wood panels and polyacetal.
Methanol-to-Olefins
MTO and MTP convert methanol over zeolite catalysts into ethylene and propylene, giving a non-naphtha route into the polyolefin chain. The dominant growth outlet in coal-based regions.
Acetic Acid
Carbonylation with carbon monoxide over a rhodium or iridium catalyst gives acetic acid, and from there vinyl acetate, acetic anhydride, PTA solvent and acetate esters.
MTBE, DME & Fuels
Reaction with isobutylene gives MTBE for gasoline octane; dehydration gives DME as an LPG substitute; and methanol is used directly as a marine and vehicle fuel.
Biodiesel
Transesterification of vegetable oils and animal fats with methanol gives fatty acid methyl esters — the standard biodiesel route — with glycerine as co-product.
Methylamines & Chloromethanes
Amination gives mono-, di- and trimethylamine for surfactants and agrochemicals; chlorination gives methyl chloride and dichloromethane; further routes give MMA and methyl mercaptan.
Why source Methanol through Chelora Petrochem?
Verified Origin
Full origin certification and asset-backed supply chain documentation — no grey-market supply.
Grade Flexibility
IMPCA reference specification and Grade AA supplied as standard. Water, chloride, sulfur and iron limits can be tightened for catalyst-sensitive or electronic-grade applications.
Full Documentation
CoA, SDS, UN transport docs, REACH compliance, and destination-market certificates with every shipment.
Logistics Support
Experienced in bulk methanol logistics — dedicated stainless or lined tanks, moisture control on transfer, and full UN 1230 subsidiary-risk 6.1 documentation for Indian and international delivery.
Storage & Handling Guidelines
Always refer to the full SDS before handling. The following is a summary of key requirements.
- Treat methanol as toxic by inhalation, skin absorption and ingestion — control all three routes, not just vapour.
- Never store or decant methanol in unlabelled containers, and never in anything that could be mistaken for a drinks container.
- Remember that methanol burns with a pale blue flame that is nearly invisible in daylight — use thermal imaging or a broom-straw test to check for fire before approaching.
- Store in a bunded, well-ventilated, dedicated area away from ignition sources, heat and direct sunlight, with ATEX/IECEx-rated equipment throughout.
- Bond and earth all tanks, tankers, drums and hoses before every transfer, and keep tanks nitrogen-blanketed where the headspace can sit in the very wide 6–36% flammable range.
- Use alcohol-resistant foam for firefighting — standard hydrocarbon foam breaks down in water-miscible solvents and will not hold a blanket.
- Keep away from strong oxidisers and strong acids; use compatible materials, and note that methanol attacks some plastics, coatings and aluminium under certain conditions.
- Have eyewash and safety showers immediately available, and make sure first-aiders know that methanol poisoning has a specific antidote and needs urgent medical assessment.
Hazard Summary
Classification: Flam. Liq. 2 (H225) · Acute Tox. 3 oral, dermal and inhalation (H301, H311, H331) · STOT SE 1 (H370, causes damage to organs).
Systemic toxicity: This is the hazard that distinguishes methanol from other solvents. It is metabolised to formaldehyde and then formic acid, which causes metabolic acidosis and damages the optic nerve. Even small ingested volumes can cause permanent blindness or death, and serious symptoms are often delayed by hours after exposure. Methanol is also readily absorbed through intact skin, so skin protection matters as much as respiratory protection.
If exposure is suspected: Get medical attention immediately and tell the clinician methanol is involved, even if the person seems well — effective antidotal treatment exists but works best before symptoms develop. Do not wait for symptoms to appear.
Invisible flame: Methanol burns with a pale blue flame that is almost impossible to see in daylight. People have walked into methanol fires without realising. Use alcohol-resistant foam; conventional hydrocarbon foam breaks down in water-miscible liquids.
Wide flammable range: Flash point 11 °C with flammable limits of 6–36% v/v — a far wider ignitable range than most hydrocarbons, so a tank headspace is much more likely to sit inside it.
Exposure limits: ACGIH TLV 200 ppm 8-h TWA with a 250 ppm STEL and a skin notation; OSHA PEL 200 ppm TWA. The skin notation matters — airborne monitoring alone does not capture dermal uptake. Confirm the limit in force in your jurisdiction.
PPE minimum: Chemical splash goggles or face shield, butyl or laminate gloves (nitrile gives only limited protection against methanol), chemical-resistant and flame-retardant clothing, and supplied-air respiratory protection where the exposure limit may be exceeded.
Consult the full SDS for exposure limits, spill containment, emergency response, and disposal before any use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technical and commercial questions about Methanol sourcing and specifications.
What is methanol used for?
Formaldehyde is the largest single derivative, feeding wood-panel adhesives, phenolic resins and polyacetal. Methanol-to-olefins is the fastest-growing outlet, making ethylene and propylene without naphtha. Acetic acid via carbonylation is the third major chain. Beyond that: MTBE and DME for fuels, biodiesel transesterification, methylamines, chloromethanes, methyl methacrylate, and increasingly methanol used directly as a marine fuel.
How is methanol produced?
From synthesis gas — a mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and hydrogen — reacted over a copper/zinc oxide/alumina catalyst at roughly 50–100 bar and 200–300 °C. The syngas usually comes from steam reforming of natural gas, though coal gasification dominates in China. Renewable routes using biomass gasification or captured CO₂ with green hydrogen are commercialising, and are generally sold as bio-methanol or e-methanol.
Why is methanol so much more toxic than ethanol?
The difference is in the metabolites, not the alcohol itself. Both are processed by alcohol dehydrogenase, but ethanol gives acetaldehyde and then acetate, which the body handles routinely. Methanol gives formaldehyde and then formic acid, which accumulates, causes metabolic acidosis and specifically damages the optic nerve. Symptoms are frequently delayed by hours, which is dangerous because someone can feel fine while the damage is developing. Suspected exposure needs urgent medical assessment regardless of how the person appears.
Why does the invisible flame matter so much?
Methanol burns with very little soot and produces a pale blue flame that is effectively invisible in daylight. A methanol fire can be burning in full view with no visible sign, and there have been incidents of people walking into one. It also means firefighting media selection matters: because methanol is fully water-miscible, ordinary hydrocarbon foam breaks down and will not maintain a blanket, so alcohol-resistant foam is required.
What is IMPCA specification methanol?
IMPCA — the International Methanol Producers and Consumers Association — publishes the reference specification used for most international methanol trade. It sets purity at 99.85 wt% minimum with limits on water, acetone, ethanol, chloride, sulfur, iron, acidity and non-volatile matter, plus a permanganate time test of at least 60 minutes at 15 °C as a general indicator of oxidisable impurities. It is broadly equivalent to US Federal Grade AA.
What documentation does Chelora provide?
Every shipment includes a Certificate of Analysis against the IMPCA reference specification covering purity, water, acetone, ethanol, chloride, sulfur, iron, acidity, permanganate time, colour, distillation range and specific gravity; a Safety Data Sheet (GHS/REACH); UN 1230 Class 3 with subsidiary risk 6.1, PG II transport documentation; an origin certificate; and any destination-market certificates required.
Request a quote or specification sheet
Talk to Chelora's sourcing team about Methanol grade, volume, logistics, documentation, and lead times. We respond within one business day.
