methyl chloride

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, poisonous gas, CH 3 Cl, used chiefly as a refrigerant, as a local anesthetic, and as a methylating agent in organic synthesis.

methyl chloride

noun

1. Systematic name: chloromethane. a colourless gas with an ether-like odour, used as a refrigerant and anaesthetic. Formula: CH 3 Cl

Word History and Origins

Origin of methyl chloride¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Eglin officials said on their Twitter account that the explosion happened Wednesday morning at the McKinley Climatic Lab near where methyl chloride was present.

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Officials say the source of the smoke has been identified as methyl chloride, and they are urging people to avoid contact with it.

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For example, by substituting one atom of chlorine for one of hydrogen we produce methyl chloride: Take away three hydrogen atoms and substitute chlorine and we have the anesthetic chloroform: Substitute chlorine atoms for all of the hydrogen atoms and the result is carbon tetrachloride, the familiar cleaning fluid: In the simplest possible terms, these changes rung upon the basic molecule of methane illustrate what a chlorinated hydrocarbon is.

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"Refrigerants were flammable like hydrocarbons, toxic like ammonia, or flammable and toxic like methyl chloride. There were accidents and people died."

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They leaked toxic gases such as ammonia, methyl chloride and sulphur dioxide, which damaged the respiratory system and could easily lead to death.

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