General Description
Colorless to yellowish oily liquid with a smoky odor and caustic burning taste.
Air & Water Reactions
May be sensitive to exposure to air. Slightly soluble in water.
Reactivity Profile
Phenols, such as CREOSOTE, do not behave as organic alcohols, as one might guess from the presence of a hydroxyl (-OH) group in their structure. Instead, they react as weak organic acids. Phenols and cresols are much weaker as acids than common carboxylic acids (phenol has Ka = 1.3 x 10^[-10]). These materials are incompatible with strong reducing substances such as hydrides, nitrides, alkali metals, and sulfides. Flammable gas (H2) is often generated, and the heat of the reaction may ignite the gas. Heat is also generated by the acid-base reaction between phenols and bases. Such heating may initiate polymerization of the organic compound. Phenols are sulfonated very readily (for example, by concentrated sulfuric acid at room temperature). The reactions generate heat. Phenols are also nitrated very rapidly, even by dilute nitric acid. CREOSOTE is incompatible with acacia, albumin, oxidizers and cupric, ferric, gold and silver salts.
Fire Hazard
CREOSOTE is combustible.
Chemical Properties
The nuts of the Fagus may be eaten raw or roasted. The seeds are often a source of edible oil and the leaves are used as
a potherb. Beechwood creosote contains a mixture of phenols (chiefly guaiacol, creosol and p-cresol). It has a characteristic smoky
odor with caustic, burning taste.
Occurrence
Fagus species.
Definition
1. (wood creosote) An almostcolourless liquid mixture ofphenols obtained by distilling tar obtainedby the destructive distillationof wood. It is used medically as anantiseptic and expectorant. 2. (coaltarcreosote) A dark liquid mixture ofphenols and cresols obtained by distillingcoal tar. It is used for preservingtimber.
Definition
A colorless oily
liquid containing phenols and distilled
from wood tar, used as a disinfectant. The
name is also given to creosote oil, a dark
brown liquid distilled from coal tar and
used for preserving timber. It also consists
of phenols, mixed with some methylphenols.
Preparation
Starting materials are the heavy oils from wood tar; the material first is treated with NaOH to precipitate all saponifiable
oils and subsequently with H2SO4; the raw creosote finally is purified by repeated fractional distillation
Production Methods
Wood creosote is obtained from wood tars, from beech and
the resin from leaves of the creosote bush, and by distillation
and is composed mainly of phenols, xylenols, guaiacol, and
creosol. Coal tar creosote is produced by high-temperature
carbonization and distillation of bituminous coal. Coal tar
creosote contains liquid and solid aromatic hydrocarbons, tar
acids, and tar base.At least 75%of the coal tar creosote
mixture is polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Purification of
the crude preparation is accomplished by distillation and
extraction from suitable oils.
Biological Activity
Creosote from beechwood tar has been reported to exhibit antioxidant activity comparable to th at of popular antioxidants α-tocopherol and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). It is used as a herbal antidiarrheal medicine owing to its antisecretory activity. Beechwood creosote has also been found to show bactericidalfungicidal and laxative action.
Carcinogenicity
The carcinogenicity of creosote
oils has been studied quite thoroughly using mice.
Studies indicate that coal tar creosote and several of its
fractions can be carcinogenic when applied to the skin of
mice and rabbits. Dermally applied coal tar creosote can also
act as a tumor-initiating agent when applied prior to croton
oil treatment.
Hazard
In aquatic sediments, several reactions can transform the chemicals released by the creosote preservatives into more dangerous chemicals. Most creosote preservative compounds have hazards associated with them before they are transformed. Cresol (m-, p-, and o-), phenol, guaiacol, and xylenol (1,3,4- and 1,3,5-) all are acute aquatic hazards prior to going through chemical reactions with the sediments. Alkylation reactions allows for the compounds to transition into more toxic compounds with the addition of R-groups to the major compounds found in creosote preservatives. Compounds formed through alkylation include: 3,4-dimethylphenol, 2,3-dimethylphenol, and 2,5-dimethylphenol, which are all listed as acute environmental hazards.
