What is the old name for methanol?

Written by Editorial Team | Last Updated: August 2026

The traditional and widely recognized old name for methanol is wood alcohol, which originates from the historical method of producing the chemical as a byproduct through the destructive distillation of wood. In addition to wood alcohol, it was historically referred to as wood naphtha or wood spirits by early chemists and industrial workers. Because it is the simplest aliphatic alcohol with the chemical formula CH3OH, it was also commonly designated as methyl alcohol. The historical terminology reflects early production procedures where organic materials were heated without oxygen, driving off volatile vapors that condensed into a liquid containing significant amounts of methanol. Over time, as industrial synthesis shifted toward catalytic processes utilizing carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen gas, the older terms largely phased out of standard scientific literature, though they remain notable historical descriptors for this critical chemical compound.

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