Ethanol
Organic compound, CNS depressant, active ingredient in alcoholic beverages.
Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3CH2OH. It is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid that acts as a central nervous system depressant and is the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages, making it the second most consumed drug globally behind caffeine.
- chemical_formula
- CH3CH2OH
- also_written_as
- C2H5OH, C2H6O, EtOH
- type
- Alcohol, CNS depressant
- natural_production
- Fermentation of sugars by yeasts
- top_producers
- U.S. (51%), Brazil (26%)
Lore & Background
Ethanol has been used since ancient times as an intoxicant, with production through fermentation and distillation evolving over centuries across various cultures.
Reader's Guide
Ethanol's significance spans multiple domains. As a recreational drug, it is a central nervous system depressant and one of the most commonly consumed psychoactive drugs, despite its psychoactive, addictive, and carcinogenic properties. Medically, it is the oldest known sedative, used historically as an oral general anesthetic, and today serves as an antiseptic, disinfectant, solvent for medications, and antidote for methanol and ethylene glycol poisoning. Its metabolism in mammals involves oxidation to acetaldehyde by ADH enzymes, with acetaldehyde being a known carcinogen responsible for many symptoms of intoxication and long-term health hazards. As an energy source, ethanol is widely used as engine fuel and fuel additive, with Brazil requiring at least 25% anhydrous ethanol in gasoline and the US using E10 and E85 mixtures. and Brazil. Ethanol also serves as a chemical solvent, feedstock for ethylene production, and occurs naturally as a byproduct of yeast metabolism in environments such as overripe fruit and interstellar space.
Did You Know?
- Ethanol is naturally produced by fermentation of sugars by yeasts or via petrochemical processes such as ethylene hydration.
- A mutation in the ALDH2 gene affecting roughly 50% of east Asian populations causes alcohol flush reaction due to acetaldehyde toxicity.
- Ethanol was historically used as a general anesthetic and is the oldest known sedative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ethanol?
Ethanol is a volatile, colorless, flammable organic liquid that goes by several nicknames, including ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, and simply "drinking alcohol." It is the psychoactive ingredient in every alcoholic beverage and functions as a central nervous system depressant.
How is Ethanol made in nature?
Yeasts naturally generate ethanol by fermenting sugars, a biological process that humans have relied on for millennia to produce alcoholic beverages.
Why is Ethanol so important?
Ethanol ranks as the second most consumed drug on the planet, behind only caffeine, making it a cornerstone of global culture. It also anchors the renewable-fuel industry, with the U.S. (51%) and Brazil (26%) together driving 77% of worldwide fuel-ethanol output.
What are Ethanol's aliases and chemical formula?
Ethanol is classified as an alcohol-type organic compound and can be written as CH3CH2OH, C2H5OH, C2H6O, or the shorthand EtOH.
More in Chemistry 1-24
Elsewhere in the Chemistry universe
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record