Methanol, which is also known as methyl alcohol, wood spirit, and wood naptha, is the simplest example of an alcohol. It has the chemical formula CH₃OH. At standard temperature and pressure it is a colorless liquid with a sweet smell. It is completely miscible with water. Methanol is poisonous to humans and in small doses it causes blindness, paralysis, and death. It is mixed with ethanol to render it undrinkable. With a boiling point of 149°F (65°C) it is a volatile liquid. The boiling point is higher than would be anticipated from the molecular weight alone, due to the presence of hydrogen bonds within the liquid. Methanol was first discovered in 1661 by Robert Boyle.

Methanol is incorporated into various plant oils as a methyl ester. It was originally produced by the destructive distillation of wood. This produces a mixture of wood gas (hydrogen and methane...