Nitromethane
Nitromethane is the simplest nitroalkane, with formula CH₃NO₂. It is used as a solvent, chemical intermediate, and high-performance fuel.
Nitroalkane: An organic compound in which a nitro group is bonded to an alkyl carbon. Nitromethane is the smallest member of this compound family.
Drag racing: A motorsport in which vehicles accelerate over a short, straight course. Some racing engines use nitromethane-rich fuel to produce exceptionally high power.
Jean-Baptiste Dumas: A French chemist whose work helped establish the study of organic compounds. Dumas and Eugène Péligot reported nitromethane in the nineteenth century.
Methanol: A simple alcohol with formula CH₃OH, used as a solvent, feedstock, and fuel. It is another oxygen-containing racing fuel, but has different energy and air requirements.
Chemical safety: Practices and principles for preventing harm during the handling, storage, and use of chemicals. Nitromethane requires controls for flammability, exposure, and incompatible conditions.
Nitro group: The functional group –NO₂, bonded through nitrogen to the rest of a molecule. Its attachment to carbon gives nitromethane its characteristic reactivity.
Top Fuel: A drag-racing category for extremely powerful, purpose-built dragsters. Top Fuel dragsters are the best-known users of nitromethane-based racing fuel.
Eugène Péligot: A French chemist known for work on uranium and other chemical compounds. Péligot collaborated with Dumas on the early preparation of nitromethane.
Ethanol: An alcohol with formula C₂H₅OH, used in beverages, solvents, and fuels. Its familiar use as a fuel contrasts with nitromethane’s specialized high-power role.
Flammable liquid: A liquid that can ignite readily when its vapor encounters an ignition source. Nitromethane vapors can ignite, making storage and transfer controls essential.