Alcohol

Alcohol, also known as ethanol, is a type of alcohol compound with the chemical formula C2H6O and a structural formula of CH3CH2OH or C2H5OH.^[1] Ethanol has excellent combustibility and is commonly used as a fuel, solvent, disinfectant, among other applications, and is widely utilized in organic synthesis.

At room temperature and pressure, ethanol is a volatile, colorless, transparent liquid with low toxicity. It can mix with water in any proportion, producing a solution with an alcoholic aroma and slight irritancy. It is also miscible with most organic solvents. Ethanol vapor can form a flammable mixture when mixed with air. Ethanol is a fundamental organic chemical raw material and is also used as an organic solvent, in beverage production, and in the food industry.^[2]

Ethanol can be used to produce acetic acid, beverages, fragrances, dyes, fuels, among other products. In medical applications, ethanol with a volume concentration of 70%–75% is commonly used as a disinfectant. Ethanol has extensive applications in the chemical industry, healthcare, food industry, agricultural production, and other fields.