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Isopropanole Vs. Denatured Alcohol

Perhaps you have used denatured alcohol and isopropanol for various tasks around the house. The two chemicals are structurally different, but they are both short-chain alcohols. Because of this, both denatured alcohol and isopropanol make good solvents, due to their ability to evaporate quickly and their ability to mix with water. Both chemicals are toxic and unfit for human consumption.

  1. Alcohols

    • Compounds called alcohols all contain the hydroxyl functional group (-OH) bonded to a carbon. The hydroxyl group defines the molecule as an alcohol, while the rest of the molecule may have any chemical structure and size. As a result, there are many different alcohols that have the same general reactivity, but slightly different personalities. The chemistry of most alcohols allows them to mix with water, and thus they are good solvents.

    Denatured Alcohol

    • The alcohol used in denatured alcohol is ethanol, which is ordinarily the alcohol that we drink. However, to make denatured alcohol, toxic chemicals such as methanol, isopropanol, or gasoline are added. Ethanol has many industrial uses, and adding chemicals that make it undrinkable will prevent consumption of this supply. The chemicals added to denature the alcohol are not only toxic, but they also taste foul. Some denaturing agents are not safe for skin, so be careful when handling denatured alcohol.

    Isopropanol

    • Isopropanol also goes by the names isopropyl alcohol and 2-propanol. Structurally, it is not very different from ethanol, the main alcohol used in denatured alcohol. In fact, isopropanol is sometimes used as a denaturing agent added to ethanol. While we cannot drink isopropanol, we often use rubbing alcohol on our skin as a disinfectant, which consists of 70 percent isopropanol and 30 percent water. Be careful, however, as 100 percent isopropanol is irritating to the skin and must be flushed with water if contact is made.

    Uses

    • Denatured alcohol is a good organic solvent, and can remove oily dirt and grease from nonporous surfaces (porous surfaces will soak it up and permanently discolor). It can also be used as fuel for your camp stove, and it is a key ingredient in the shellac you may paint onto wood.

      Isopropanol, when diluted to 70 percent as rubbing alcohol, is used to disinfect the skin. At full strength, it is used in thinners, inks, and the production of acetone. It is also used as a coolant in beer manufacture.

    Warnings

    • Both of these chemicals are irritating to the skin at full strength, as are their vapors. Avoid contact with the eyes. Do not ingest either one. Both are highly flammable, and isopropanol may decompose into carbon monoxide when in a fire.

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