Alcohols are used widely as cleaning agents, thinners, and diluents; as vehicles for paints, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals; as extracting agents; and as chemical intermediates. Methyl alcohol is used widely as an industrial solvent—one-fourth of its production—and as an adulterant to denature ethanol to prevent its abuse when used as an industrial solvent. Approximately one-third of methyl alcohol used is in the production of formaldehyde. More than half the isopropyl alcohol produced is used to manufacture acetone and the rest in a variety of solvent and chemical formulation uses. Approximately 90% of cyclohexanol is used to produce adipic acid for nylon and the rest for esters for plasticizers. Alkyl alcohol is used solely as a chemical intermediate. The higher alcohols (>5 carbons) are divided into the plasticizer range (6–11 carbons) and the detergent range (≥12 carbons). About 500 kilotons of plasticizer-range alcohols are produced annually in the United States to make esters for plasticizers and lubricants, and about 260 kilotons of detergent-range alcohols are produced to make sulfate deionizers for detergents.
