Emlingur - 13-4-2016 at 03:31
I wanna make methanol by distilling wood, but I dont know which sideproducts to expect from it. Any ideas of what they might be, or ways to isolate
the methanol?
IceDahl - 13-4-2016 at 04:32
I am not really sure what the side products are, but one of the best ways to separate the methanol from them is distillation. I am not sure if it
gives good purity methanol though.
hissingnoise - 13-4-2016 at 07:02
Pyroligneous acid is a complex mixture of substances ─ the main ones being acetic acid, acetone, methanol and water!
Separation of usable quantities of methanol from such a mix is almost impossible, even with a large frac. column . . .
But methanol is cheap and available on ebay! 
Chemist_Cup_Noodles - 14-4-2016 at 05:41
If you're determined to distill your methanol, go to a local party store. They should have really cheap, methanol gel based buffet warmers. But be
careful which cans you pick, most are ethylene glycol I believe. I don't know what else might be in the gel but methanol has a low boiling point so
you should be fine distilling the gel. Although the gel should keep it from bumping or knocking hard during boiling so there's that going for you. But
tbh I don't think it would be as cost effective as ordering it on eBay. God bless the Chinese and their low prices. You'd have to wait quite a while
and shipping might be costly seeing as it's fairly flammable and especially if it's coming from China it will take some time.
macckone - 15-4-2016 at 04:58
From wood decomposition, you get a lot of impurities.
Fortunately most of them are different boiling points.
Specifically acetone and acetic acid.
You will also have esters like acetylal.
You have to have a really tall column to separate some
Of these. Or use chemical means.