formaldehyde

[Aka]

Whitch one is the common name and whitch is the "propername"

formaldehyde or methanal, methylene oxide, oxymethyline, methylaldehyde, and oxomethane.

 

Also, whitch one is the correct chemical equation? I can accross these ones while serching on the net

HCHO

CH2O

H2CO

[Darkblade48]

Whitch one is the common name and whitch is the "propername"

formaldehyde or methanal' date=' methylene oxide, oxymethyline, methylaldehyde, and oxomethane.

 

Also, whitch one is the correct chemical equation? I can accross these ones while serching on the net

HCHO

CH2O

H2CO[/quote']

Methanal is the IUPAC name, all other names you have listed would be trivial names.

 

All 3 chemical equations you have provided are also correct, though I've seen it most often as CH2O.

[Aka]

^Thank you for your help, so... the propername would be Methanal right?

[silkworm]

Generally I would agree with Darkblade's statement that IUPAC is where it's at and all other stuff is garbage. The IUPAC system is one that such when told the name of a molecule you know its structure. It's a great system, and I'm a huge fan.

 

However, what we're talking about here is formaldehyde. It is true that the IUPAC name is Methanal, but formaldehyde is formaldehyde. It's a superstar in the world of chemicals, and if you wanted it you'd order formaldehyde and not methanal.

 

The way I like to write the chemical equation for formaldehyde is H2CO to quickly point out that there is a carbonyl (=C=O). If you're writing formaldehyde by hand, it's communicated best by simply writing its structure.

[budullewraagh]

walk into an orgo lab and ask them for some methanal. a few people will laugh. others won't know what you're talking about.

 

i also think that for all practical purposes, things like iron (III) oxide are bs. if some kid came up to me and was like "is it true that thermite is the reaction between aluminum and iron three oxide?" i would punch him in the face. personally i think "ferric" and "ferrous" and "stannic," etc roll off the tongue a LOT better.

[jdurg]

walk into an orgo lab and ask them for some methanal. a few people will laugh. others won't know what you're talking about.

 

i also think that for all practical purposes' date=' things like iron (III) oxide are bs. if some kid came up to me and was like "is it true that thermite is the reaction between aluminum and iron [i']three[/i] oxide?" i would punch him in the face. personally i think "ferric" and "ferrous" and "stannic," etc roll off the tongue a LOT better.

 

But ferric/ferrous etc are VERY prone to confusion and can lead to some needless errors. If someone says Iron Three Oxide you know EXACTLY what compound they are talking about. If someone says Ferric oxide, if you're a bit distracted or a bit slow that day you might not get what they are saying right away.

 

In addition, if you are talking about a compound with MULTIPLE common oxidation states, the -ous/-ic nomenclature is completely useless and a waste of time.

[YT2095]

walk into an orgo lab and ask them for some methanal. a few people will laugh. others won't know what you're talking about.

 

i also think that for all practical purposes' date=' things like iron (III) oxide are bs. if some kid came up to me and was like "is it true that thermite is the reaction between aluminum and iron [i']three[/i] oxide?" i would punch him in the face.

 

then thats rather childish/ignorant of them then, when I`m in a pub I ask for Booze, when I`m in a Lab, I ask for Ethanol, see the difference?

 

as for the second part, that`s a bit childish on your part also, in fact if a "kid" asked me that, I`de be more inclined to answer than if they said Rust!

[Aka]

what does the sentence "It is incompatible and reactive with strong oxidizers, alkalis and acids, phenols, and urea" mean? doesn't "incompatible" and "reactive" contradict?

[Darkblade48]

what does the sentence "It is incompatible and reactive with strong oxidizers, alkalis and acids, phenols, and urea" mean? doesn't "incompatible" and "reactive" contradict?

My interpretation was that incompatible always meant that it would "react" in some way with the incompatibles.

[insane_alien]

incompatible in MSDS means: This chemical should NOT be stored anywhere near the chemicals listed in the incompatible section. either a risk of toxic fumes, fire, explosion and various other nastiness if the containers are damaged with force or fire.

[jdurg]

what does the sentence "It is incompatible and reactive with strong oxidizers, alkalis and acids, phenols, and urea" mean? doesn't "incompatible" and "reactive" contradict?

The word 'incompatible' means 'not compatible', and 'compatible' means "to get along, to go well together". Therefore, if something reacts readily with another substance, it would most definitely NOT be compatible.

[Aka]

^ Thanks but, there is one other thing i don't understand.

 

formaldehyde is also called Methanal but aren't they two different chemicals?

[aj47]

No formaldehyde is just the trivial name where as methanal is the IUPAC name with which the structure can be deduced.

 

In the same way glucose can also be called 6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-2,3,4,5-tetrol but it's damn sight harder to say.

[Aka]

then i dont understand this "formaldehyde is produced by the catalytic oxidation of methanol."

[aj47]

Methanol (CH3OH) and methanal (CH2O) are different compounds.

 

Methanal or formaldehyde is an aldehyde and can be made, like you said, by oxidizing methanol using a weak oxidizing agent like tollens or fehlings solution.

[Aka]

^ oh thanks for your help

[Aka]

Melting point -117 °C

Boiling point -19.3 °C

 

are these correct, i found alot of different boiling and melting points

[Darkblade48]

Melting point -117 °C

Boiling point -19.3 °C

 

are these correct' date=' i found alot of different boiling and melting points[/quote']

Definitely wrong, formaldehyde is a liquid at STP.

 

From an MSDS, I got boiling point = 96 C, and melting point = -15 C

[akcapr]

no its a gas, that when dissolved in water gives you the formaldehyde liquid.

[jdurg]

Definitely wrong' date=' formaldehyde is a liquid at STP.

 

From an MSDS, I got boiling point = 96 C, and melting point = -15 C[/quote']

That's for a typical 37% by weight solution of formaldehyde. Aka's values are correct for pure H2C=O.

[Darkblade48]

That's for a typical 37% by weight solution of formaldehyde. Aka's values are correct for pure H2C=O.

Ah, my mistake, silly me, of course.

 

How could I forget that formaldehyde is sold in 37% solutions

[suhasnatyan]

Why forrmaldehyde is sold in 37% solution???

[woelen]

Formaldehyde is a gas at room temperature. The use of pressurized containers is not an option. Formaldehyde can polymerize easily and such a container would be clogged completely within a few months.

 

Fortunately, this gas dissolves in water VERY well and that is why a solution in water is sold. Also this aqueous solution suffers from polymerization. If you have a bottle of formalin (37 - 40% CH2O), then you'll certainly see a white layer of paraformaldehyde at the bottom of the bottle.