Local Anaesthetic Agent Chloroform And Its Uses

Chloroform is an organic compound with formula CHCl₃. It is one of the four chloromethanes.The colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid is a trihalomethane, and is considered somewhat hazardous. Several million tons are produced annually as a precursor to PTFE and refrigerants, but its use for refrigerants is being phased out

Different names of chloroform: Trichloromethane; Formyl trichloride; Methane trichloride; Methyl trichloride; Methenyl trichloride

Molecular model
 of chloroform

Chloroform has a multitude of natural sources, both biogenic and abiotic. It is estimated that over 90% of atmospheric chloroform is of natural origin.

Dainikupdate:Using chloroform as
 Hypnotic Reagent

Molecular geometry of
chloroform

Deuterated chloroform is an isotopologue of chloroform with a single deuterium atom. CDCl₃ is a common solvent used in NMR Spectroscopy. Deuterochloroform is produced by the haloform reaction , the reaction of acetone (or ethanol) with sodium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite. The haloform process is now obsolete for the production of ordinary chloroform. Deuterochloroform can also be prepared by the reaction of sodium deuteroxide with chloral hydrate, or from ordinary chloroform.

Uses:

1.The vast majority of the chloroform produced in the United States is used to make HCFC-22. The rest is produced for export and for miscellaneous uses.

2.Chloroform was used in the past as an extraction solvent for fats, oils, greases, and other products; as a dry cleaning spot remover; in fire extinguishers; as a fumigant; and as an anesthetic. However, chloroform is no longer used in these products

3.Chloroform can be detected in blood, urine, and body tissues. However, these methods are not very reliable because chloroform is rapidly eliminated from the body, and the tests are not specific for chloroform.

4.It is also used  as an anaesthetic agent for the minor surgery in simple way.