Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, absolute alcohol, or alcohol alone, is a type of volatile, flammable, colorless, and is the most commonly used alcohol in everyday life. This compound is a psychoactive drug and can be found in alcoholic beverages and modern thermometers. Ethanol is one of the oldest recreational drugs.
Ethanol is included in a single chain alcohol, with the chemical formula C2H5OH and the empirical formula C2H6O. It is a constitutional isomer of dimethyl ether. Ethanol is often abbreviated to EtOH, with "Et" which stands for ethyl group (C2H5).
Fermentation of sugar into ethanol is one of the earliest organic reactions that humans have ever done. The effects of intoxicating ethanol consumption have also been known for a long time. In modern times, ethanol intended for industrial uses is often produced from ethylene. [5]
Ethanol is widely used as a solvent for various chemicals intended for human consumption and use. Examples are perfume, flavorings, food coloring, and medicines. In chemistry, ethanol is an important solvent as well as a feed stock for the synthesis of other chemical compounds. In its history, ethanol has long been used as fuel.