alcohol

[In Sw. & Ger. alkohol; Fr. al cool; Port. alcohol: from Arab, al = the; kohl = stibium = sulphuret of antimony; Heb., E. Aram., and thachhol ) = to paint the eye-brows black with stibium, as was done anciently, and still is, by women in parts of the East.] A. Ordinary Language: L As a solid ": *1. Originally: The mineral mentioned above, stibium, or sulphuret of antimony, especially when reduced to an impalpable powder. "The Turks have a black powder made of a mineral called alethol , which, with a fine long pencil, they lay under their eyelids, which doth colour them black." Bacon: Nat . Hist ., Cent. VIIL, § 739. 2. Any impalpable powder, whatever its composition. "If the same salt shall be reduced into alcohol , as the chymists speak, or an impalpable powder, the particles and intercepted spaces will be extremely aed."- Boyle. II. As a liquid : Pure spirit, rectified spirit, spirits of wine, or, more loosely, a liquid containing it in considerable quantity. [See B.] "The Elixir of Perpetual Truth, Called Alcohol , in the Arab speech." Long fellow: Gold. Leg., i. "Sal volatile oleosum will coagulate the serum on account of the alcohol , or rectified spirit, which it contains"-Arbuthnot. B. Organic Chem. Alcohol is the name given to a cla of compounds differing from hydrocarbons in the substitution of one or more hydrogen atoms by the monatomic radical hydroxyl (OH). Alcohols are divided into monatomic, diatomic, triatomic, ., according as they contain 1, 2, or 3 atoms of H (hydrogen), each replaced by (OH)'. Alcohols may also be regarded as water in which one atom of H is replaced by a hydrocarbon radical. Alcohol can unite with certain salts, as alcohol of crystallization. The O in HO (water) can be replaced by S (sulphur), as S (hydrogen sulphide); so H H H Cl) in alcohol, C2H5O, forming mercaptan, C2H5S. Alcohol may also be compared with acids, as HO (hypochlorous acid), C2H5O (alcohol); the H can be replaced by K or Na, as Co Na {O O (sodium hypochlorite), and 150 (sodium ethylate), therefore it CH Na can be considered as a weak acid. Also it K can be compared with bases, as H O (pota ium hydrate) with acids forms salts and water. As KHO + HCl = KCl (pota ium Chloride) and H2O (water), so alcohol and acids form acid ethers and water: C2H5O H + H C (hydrochloric acid) = H2O and C2H.Cl (ethyl chloride). An alcohol is said to be primary, secondary , or tertiary , according as the carbon atom which is in combination with hydroxyl (OH) is likewise directly combined with one, two , or three carbon atoms. The hydrocarbon radicals can also have their carbon atoms linked together in different ways, forming isomeric alcohols. [AMYL ALCOHOL.] Primary alcohols, by the action of oxidizing agents, yield aldehydes , then acids; secondary alcohols, by oxidation, yield ke tones; tertiary alcohols, by oxidation, yield a mixture of acids. Alcohols derived from benzol, or its substitution compounds, are called aromatic alcohols ; they contain one or more benzol rings. [See BENZENE.] ethyl alcohol (commonly called alcohol), ethylic alcohol, methyl carbinol, spirits of wine, ethyl hydrate, 8., C2H6O = C2H5(OH)' = CH3 { CH2 (OH). Chem.: Pure ethyl alcohol, also called abso lute alcohol , is obtained by distilling the strongest rectified spirit of wine with half its weight of quick-lime. Pure alcohol is a colourle limpid liquid, having a pungent agreeable odour and a burning taste. Its specific gravity at 0o is 0 8095, and at 15.5° is 0-7938, its vapour referred to air 1613. It is very inflammable, burning with a pale blue smokele flame. It boils at 78.4° when anhydrous. It becomes viscid at -100°. It mixes with water in all proportions, with evolution of heat and contraction of volume; and it readily absorbs moisture from the air, and from substances immersed in it. Chlorine converts alcohol into chloral, C2HCl3O, but in the presence of alkalies into chloroform, CHCl3. By oxidation alcohol is converted into alde hyde, CoH4O, then into acetic acid, C2H4O2. The alkaline metals replace one atom of H, forming C2H5. NaO (sodium ethylate). Strong H2SO4 (sulphuric acid) forms with alcohol (CoH5)H.SO4, sulphovinic acid . HCl (hydrochloric acid) with alcohol yields ethyl chloride, CoH5. Ol, and water. Alcohol can be formed by synthesis from the elements C, H, O: thus acetylene, C2H2, can be formed by pa ing an electric current in an atmosphere of H between carbon points; this is converted by nascent H into olefiant gas, C2H4, which is absorbed by H2SO4 (sulphuric acid); by diluting with water, and distilling, alcohol is obtained. Alcohol is used as a solvent for alkaloids, resins, e ential oils, several salts, . Alcohol is obtained by the fermentation of sugars, when a solution of them is mixed with yeast, Mycoderma cervisiæ, and kept at a temperature between 25° and 30°, till 143 it ceases to give off CO2 (carbonic acid gas). It is then distilled. Proof spirit contains 49.5 per cent. of alcohol, and has a specific gravity of 0.9198 at 60° F. Methylated spirit contains 10 per cent. of wood spirit in alcohol of sp. gr. 0.830; it is duty free, and can be used instead of spirits of wine for making chloroform, olefiant gas, varnishes, extracting alkaloids, and for preserving anatomical preparations, . Wines contain alcohol; port and sherry, 19 to 25 per cent.; claret and hock and strong ale, about 10 per cent; brandy, whiskey, gin, ., about 40 to 50 per cent. These liquids owe their intoxicating effects to the alcohol they contain. alcohol bases, s. pl. [AMINES.]