Iodomethane (Methyl iodide) is a colorless liquid. It can be prepared by reacting dimethyl sulfate with concentrated KI. In terms of chemical structure, it is related to methane by replacement of one hydrogen atom by an atom of iodine. It is naturally emitted by riceplantations in small amounts. It is also produced in vast quantities estimated to be greater than 214,000 tons annually by algae and kelp in the world's temperate oceans, and in lesser amounts on land by terrestrial fungi and bacteria.
Iodomethane, more commonly called methyl iodide (MeI) is a volatile organic compound used in many chemical reactions. It is an excellent methylating agent that is used in
pharmaceutical synthesis as well as many organic syntheses. It is a vital catalyst for acetic acid manufacture and is an EPA registered soil fumigant. Approved pesticides, used to control insect, plant parasitic nematodes, soil borne pathogenes and weed seeds etc.
Application:
It is used in organic synthesis as a source of methyl groups.
Methyl iodide had been approved for use as a pesticide by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 2007 as a pre-plant biocide used to control insects, plant parasitic nematodes, soil-borne pathogens, and seeds.
