7025. Paraformaldehyde

Nomenclature

CAS number: 30525-89-4
Polyoxymethylene; Paraform; Formagene.

Description and references

Also erroneously referred to as Triformol or as “trioxymethylene”. Polymerized formaldehyde, (CH2O)n. Obtained by concentrating formaldehyde soln. Use in mummifying dental pulp: I. Curson, Br. Dent. J. 121, 519 (1966); P. Hobson, ibid. 128, 275 (1970).

Properties

White, cryst powder, having an odor of formaldehyde. Flammable. Keep tightly closed. Slowly sol in cold, more readily in hot water, with evolution of formaldehyde; sol in fixed alkali hydroxide solns. Insol in alcohol, ether.

Use

For disinfecting sickrooms, clothing, linen, and sickroom utensils. Active ingredient of contraceptive creams. Also used as fumigant; in dentistry; in manuf synthetic resins and artificial horn or ivory.