Ethanol vs Methanol: what is the difference?
Ethanol and methanol differ by one carbon, but the body turns methanol into formic acid, which attacks the optic nerve, and ethanol into acetic acid.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedMoleculeFinder rule (RDKit MCS)Each molecule's own drawing, as its page shows it. The common core, 2 of 3 atoms, is too small to align on.
Side by side
| Ethanol | Methanol | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 46.07 g/molC2H6O | 32.04 g/molCH4O |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 1 | 1 |
| Where each turns upEditorial MoleculeFinder food and product lists |
Also on our soy sauce, fuel and flame and aerosol cans lists |
|
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Alcohols | Alcohols |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Food & flavor | Everyday chemistry |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Alcohols | Alcohols |
| Hazard labelReported ECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia, HSDB via PubChem | Danger | Danger |
| The supplier-filed hazard label's signal word, not a statement about ordinary use. | ||
| Oral LD50Measured HSDB via PubChem | Not recorded | 5,628 mg/kgpure methanol, rat, oral |
| A single acute animal measure. It ranks nothing about human safety. | ||
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- Where each turns upfrom sourceMoleculeFinder food and product listsEach amount is an editorial figure from our lists, not a measurement of any one product. Each mark is set by hand on the list, never inferred.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA, EU CLP Regulation, Safe Work Australia, HSDB via PubChem
- Oral LD50from sourceHSDB via PubChem
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- EU CLP Regulationfrom sourceAttributionSource: EUR-Lex, Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, © European Union.
- Safe Work Australiafrom sourceAttributionSource: Safe Work Australia, Hazardous Chemical Information System, © Commonwealth of Australia, CC BY 4.0.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 702 (Ethanol) and 887 (Methanol).
In more detail
The formulas show that one carbon, C2H6O against CH4O, and it is the difference between an intoxicant and a poison. The body oxidises both with the same enzymes. Ethanol becomes acetaldehyde and then acetic acid, which the body handles routinely. Methanol becomes formaldehyde and then formic acid, which attacks the optic nerve and drives the acidosis that makes methanol poisoning dangerous. Methanol's listed oral LD50 is 5628 mg/kg in rats, not a figure that marks it as a poison, which is exactly why the LD50 is a poor guide here: the danger is what the metabolites do, not the parent molecule. Methanol is present in tiny amounts in fermented drinks and is the reason improperly distilled spirits are hazardous.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Ethanol and Methanol?
- Ethanol and methanol differ by one carbon, but the body turns methanol into formic acid, which attacks the optic nerve, and ethanol into acetic acid.
- Is Ethanol bigger than Methanol?
- Ethanol is the heavier molecule, 46.07 g/mol against 32.04 g/mol for Methanol. Ethanol is C2H6O and Methanol is CH4O.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.