Iodoform

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The term 'iodoform' was also used in World War II to refer to group keys sent to agents in Europe by the Special Operations Executive: this usage is unrelated to the chemical.

Iodoform
Chemical name	Triiodomethane
Chemical formula	CHI3
Molecular mass	393.73 g/mol
CAS number	[75-47-8]
Density	4.008 g/cm3
Melting point	~120 °C
Boiling point	N/A °C
SMILES	IC(I)I
Disclaimer and references

The compound iodoform is CHI₃. A pale yellow, crystalline, volatile substance, it has a penetrating odor (in older chemistry texts, the smell is sometimes referred to as the smell of hospitals) and, analogous to chloroform sweetish taste. It was used in medicine as a healing and antiseptic dressing for wounds and sores around the beginning of the 20th century, though this use is now superseded by better antiseptics.

Iodoform can be synthesized in the haloform reaction by the reaction of iodine and sodium hydroxide with any one of these four kinds of organic compounds:

• a methyl ketone: CH₃COR, where R is an organic side chain.
• acetaldehyde: CH₃CHO
• ethanol: CH₃CH₂OH
• secondary alcohols: CH₃CHROH, where R is an alkyl or aryl group.

These reactions are so reliable that it is called the iodoform test, signalled by the precipitation of pale yellow crystals.

The melting point of the compound is about 120 °C, and it is insoluble in water but soluble in ether or ethanol.

CHI₃ is one of the trihalomethanes closely related with fluoroform, chloroform and bromoform.

[edit] Reference

• Merck Index, 12 Edition, 5054.

[edit] See also

• Iodoform test

[edit] External links

• Links to external chemical sources