Iodoform

The compound iodoform is a yellow, crystalline, volatile substance, I₃CH, having a penetrating odor (in older chemistry texts, the smell is sometimes referred to as the smell of hospitals) and sweetish taste, and analogous to chloroform. 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a healing and antiseptic dressing for wounds and sores around the beginning of the 20th century, though this use is now superseded by better antiseptics.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 by the reaction of iodine and sodium hydroxide with any one of these four kinds of organics:

• 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.

The melting point of the compound is 119 degrees Celsius, and it is insoluble in water but soluble in ether or ethanol.de:Iodoform hu:Jodoform ja:?????? pl:Jodoform tr:?yodoform

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodoform Wikipedia article Iodoform.