CHEM: Uses of Organic Compounds

Methyl Alcohol

Carbinol or Wood Alcohol

Colorless, volatile liquid with a characteristic odor. It is used as a denaturant for ethyl alcohol, as an antifreeze for automobile radiator, synthesis of organic compounds, preparation of formaldehyde.

Poisonous, small amount producing blindness degeneration of the optic nerve, whereas large doses are fatal.

Ethyl Alcohol

Grain Alcohol

Coloriess, volatile liquid with a characteristic pleasant odor

Excellent solvent of many substances, preparation of medicines, flavoring extract and perfumes

It is used as an antiseptics, a vehicle for medication and lower patient's temperature. The common 100 proofwhiskey is 50 percent alcohol whereas 95% alcohol is 190 proof. Beer and wine contain from 3 to 20%; whiskey, rum and vodka contain 35 ot 45% alcohol.

Resorcinol

Used as antiseptic and used in the manufacture of fluorescein and dyes

Catechol

Pyrocathecol or ortho hydroxybenzene. Occurs in many natural substances.

Picric Acid

Used in the treatment of burns

Cresols

A mixture of this in soap solution is known as lysol. used as disinfectant.

Hexachlorophene

Used in toothpaste, deodorants and soaps.

Hexylresorcinol

Used in throat lozenges

Guaiacol

Has an antiseptic, antipyritic and analgesic properties.

Hydroquinone

Used as photographic developer and antioxidant or stabilizer

Vanillin

Odorous component of vanilla bean

Cinnamic Aldehyde

Eugenol

Essence of oil of cloves - dental analgesic. Used in the manufacture of synthetic vanillin

Urushiols

Active irritants in poison ivy &poison oak.

Thymol

Antiseptic in mouthwashes. Starting material for the synthesis of menthol. It is main constituent of oil of peppermint.

Pyrogallol

Used to maintain an anaerobic conditions in bacterial cultures

Tetrahydrocannabinol

An active component of marijuana.

Formaldehyde

Used in:

• Germicide in disinfecting rooms in the form of candles.

• As embalming agent and preservative for anatomical specimens.

• For disinfecting instruments which cannot be sterilized by heat.

• Silvering mirrors.

• Manufacture of plastics, in combination with phenol or urea.

• Leather tanning

Paraldehyde

Used as hypnotic or soporific, producing sleep, and is particularly useful in the treatment of mental patients.

Acetone

Used:

• As solvent for fats resins, nitrocellulose, varnishes nail polish.

• In the manufacture of chloroform, iodoform, chioretone.

• As decolorizer in staining bacteria.

• Found in the biood, breath, and urine of patients with faulty fat metabolism

• Characteristic fruity odor being noticeable in the breath and urine (due to insufficient glucose oxidation in the tissues along with fats, resulting in incomplete oxidation of fats)

Benzaldehyde

Used as a cherry type of flavoring material (as well as perfumery)

Acetophenone

The substance has used as a hypnotic (a drug which induces sleep) under the name "hypnone".' It is also used in perfumes.

Diethyl Ether

Used as a general anesthetic causes excellent relaxation of the muscles. Blood pressure, pulse rate and rate of respiration as a rule are only slightly affected.

The main disadvantage are its irritating effect on the respiratory passage and its after effect of nausea.

Ethylene Oxide

Internal ether used as a fumigating agent for seeds and grains.

Succinic Acid

Small concentrations are found in many unripe fruits, and from the distillate from amber, an extinct species of pine trees (Latin, Succinum, amber). This is used in dye and perfumery industries

Glutaric Acid

Made from the oxidation of cyclopentanone and cyclohexanone respectively

Adipic Acid

Obtained from the oxidation of unsaturated fats (Latin adopts, fat). Large quantities of this acid are employed in nylon manufacture. This is also used in making synthetic resins and in baking powders in place of tartaric acid.

Formic Acid

Found in sting of ants, bees, and many insects.

It is formed from the partial oxidation of methyl alcohol in the tissues, and is responsible for the blindness and death following the ingestion of methyl alcohol.

It is used as a dehairing agent for hides, in medicine for gout and neuritic, as a silvering agent.

Acetic Acid

A 4 -10% solution of this in water is known as vinegar, is an important condiment and preservative for foods, used as household remedy and tenderizer of meat and vegetables. It si used as an astringent and to check bleeding when diluted

Glacial Acetic Acid

99.5% acetic acid. It is so called because ti solidifies/freezes like ice on cold days.

Butyric Acid

Found free in rancid butter, combined in human perspiration, juices of muscles and feces

The extraction of the rancid butter with a base removes the odor, and acidification of the basic extract regenerates it.

Palmitic Acid

Colorless waxy solid present in most animal and vegetable fats and oils as glycerol esters.

This is employed in the manufacture of soaps.

Oleic Acid

Unsaturated acid. This is abundant in olive and cottonseed oils.

Linoleic Acid

Occurs in linseed oil, used as a drying oil, and is responsible for the drying properties of this oil.

Arachidonic Acid

This occurs in animal tissues.

Linoleic, linolenic, and this acid are frequently called the essential fatty acids.

If these acids are absent from the diet of infants, weight loss occurs, and a scaly skin or eczema may appear.

This is found in animal tissues.

Oxalic Acid

Used as a dye mordant, removes iron stains and ink stains from clotting, and in the collection of blood, oxalate salts are added to prevent the clotting of the blood.

Lactic Acid

Acidic constituent of sour milk, and an important muscle metabolite. This is formed by the action of certain bacteria on lactose or milk sugar, and formed when muscles contract. Calcium can be supplemented ni

the body by the addition of calcium lactate ni the diet

Citric Acid

Sour component of citrus fruits, sugar beets and seeds of leguminous plants. This can be extracted from lemon juice by neutralizing with calcium carbonate and filter. T

Malonic Acid

Can he derived from malic acid, which is found in many fruits, plants, seeds, roots and sterns of various species

Tartaric Acid

Found free in nature and also in the form of salts of calcium or potassium. The commercial source of the acid is the potassium hydrogen salt which occurs in. fermenting grape juice and some from various fruits and vegetables.

Potassium Acid Tartare

Formed in wine casks during fermentation of grape juice.

Serves to protect the salts from moisture and from reaction during storage.

Sodium Potassium Tartrate

Used as laxative, for the treatment of constipation (Sclitz powders). in preparation of Fehling's solution

Benzoic Acid

Used in preservation of foods and in cola drinks (sodium benzoate)

Used as a urinary antiseptic, animal antipyretic and expectorant.

Urea

Used as:

• Fertilizer

• Relieving pain and promoting healing of skin infectious, burns, and slow healing wounds

• Used in making varnishes, dyes, in toothpaste

• In feed for animals, to replace some protein in the diet

• Prevents splitting and checking of lumber during drying and seasoning process.

Acetic Anhydride

Sharp, pungent odor and is soluble in water.

Used extensively in the production of cellulose acetate for use in the film, rayon, and allied industries.

Aspirin

Used as:

• as an antipyretic (reduce fever)

• as analgesic (relieves pain) for headache, sore throat, neuralgia, colds

Ethyl Nitrite

4% solution of ethyl alcohol, shown as "spirit of nitre" is used in medicine as diuretic.

It is used as vasodilator, to lower fever and reduce blood pressure.

Isoamyl Nitrite

Used as

• Antiseptic (prevents/lessens spasms of the voluntary muscies)

• Treat angina pectoris and helps restore cardiac failure, treats asthma and epileptic convulsions

Methyl Salicylate

Used in:

• Analgesic in the treatment of rheumatism

• Antiseptic and flavoring agent

Methiolate

Disinfecting instruments, used also as germicide for spore or non - spore bearing bacteria, used in sterilizing skin surfaces and mucous membrane.

Ethyl Formate

Rhum flavoring

Isoamyl Acetate

Banana flavoring (banana oil)

Octyl Acetate

Orange flavoring

Ethyl or Methyl Butyrate

Pineapple Flavoring

Butyl Acetate

Apple Flavoring/aroma

Amyl Butyrate

Apricot flavoring