Chloroform: Difference between revisions

From Citizendium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>John Stephenson
(cats)
imported>Henry A. Padleckas
m (footnote format)
 
(5 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Chloroform]] (trichloromethane) is a chlorinated [[methane]] with three chlorine substituents. One of the first [[physician|physicians]] to study and calculate dosages for the use of chloroform as surgical [[anaesthesia]] was [[John Snow (physician)|John Snow]].
{{subpages}}
{{Image|Chloroform DEVolk.jpg|right|200px|Trichloromethane (chloroform) molecule CHCl<sub>3</sub>}}


[[Category: Chemistry Workgroup]]
[[Chloroform]] ([[IUPAC]] name: '''trichloromethane''') is an [[Organic compound|organic]] [[chemical compound]] having the [[chemical formula]] CHCl<sub>3</sub>.  It is a chlorinated [[methane]] with three [[chlorine]] substituents.  At room [[temperature]] and [[pressure]], chloroform is a clear, colorless, somewhat [[volatile]] [[liquid]] with an odor characteristic of chlorinated hydrocarbons.*  It has been commonly used as a fairly [[non-polar]] [[solvent]] in laboratories.
[[Category: CZ Live]]
 
<nowiki>*</nowiki> similar to the traditional old dry cleaners smell. That smell was [[perchloroethylene]].
 
==History==
One of the first [[physician]]s to study and calculate dosages for the use of chloroform as surgical [[anesthesia]] was [[John Snow (physician)|John Snow]].  However, it was more [[toxic]] than [[diethyl ether]], another early anesthetic, and its use was discontinued.

Latest revision as of 05:54, 23 November 2009

This article is a stub and thus not approved.
Main Article
Discussion
Related Articles  [?]
Bibliography  [?]
External Links  [?]
Citable Version  [?]
 
This editable Main Article is under development and subject to a disclaimer.
(CC) Image: David E. Volk
Trichloromethane (chloroform) molecule CHCl3

Chloroform (IUPAC name: trichloromethane) is an organic chemical compound having the chemical formula CHCl3. It is a chlorinated methane with three chlorine substituents. At room temperature and pressure, chloroform is a clear, colorless, somewhat volatile liquid with an odor characteristic of chlorinated hydrocarbons.* It has been commonly used as a fairly non-polar solvent in laboratories.

* similar to the traditional old dry cleaners smell. That smell was perchloroethylene.

History

One of the first physicians to study and calculate dosages for the use of chloroform as surgical anesthesia was John Snow. However, it was more toxic than diethyl ether, another early anesthetic, and its use was discontinued.