Obtaining Methanol

[Z-Malti]

I am currently going to synthesize the ester methyl salicylate but I don't know where I can buy methanol locally Is there any chance that a hardware store, pharmacy or any other store may have it?

 

PS: I also made ethyl ethanoate and I was wondering how to separate it from the alcohol and the acid, maybe distillation?

 

Thx

[aj47]

I think anti freeze is mainly methanol, havn't a clue about the purity though.

[jdurg]

I think anti freeze is mainly methanol, havn't a clue about the purity though.

 

Antifreeze is typically ethylene glycol. Methanol isn't that great of an antifreeze because it is VERY volatile and you don't want your antifreeze to become a gas due to the high heat of the engine. That would be pretty bad. Many winshield washer fluids have a high proportion of methanol in them and you may be able to use that to distill out pure CH3OH.

[Phosphor-ing]

HEET gasoline additive is methanol. It's used to safely remove water from gas tanks after a car has been sitting for too long. Google "goldeagle" to find a store that carries this near you. I can't attest to it being absolutely pure but it is real close.