1. (Chem.)
Defn: The complex mixture of volatile, liquid, inflammable hydrocarbons, occurring naturally, and usually called crude petroleum, mineral oil, or rock oil. Specifically: That portion of the distillate obtained in the refinement of petroleum which is intermediate between the lighter gasoline and the heavier benzine, and has a specific gravity of about 0.7, — used as a solvent for varnishes, as a carburetant, illuminant, etc.
2. (Chem.)
Defn: One of several volatile inflammable liquids obtained by the distillation of certain carbonaceous materials and resembling the naphtha from petroleum; as, Boghead naphtha, from Boghead coal (obtained at Boghead, Scotland); crude naphtha, or light oil, from coal tar; wood naphtha, from wood, etc.
Note: This term was applied by the earlier chemical writers to a number of volatile, strong smelling, inflammable liquids, chiefly belonging to the ethers, as the sulphate, nitrate, or acetate of ethyl. Watts. Naphtha vitrioli Etym: [NL., naphtha of vitriol] (Old Chem.), common ethyl ether; — formerly called sulphuric ether. See Ether.
NAPHTHALATE
Naph"tha*late, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A salt of naphthalic acid; a phthalate. [Obs.]
NAPHTHALENE
Naph"tha*lene, n. (Chem.)
Defn: A white crystalline aromatic hydrocarbon, C10H8, analogous to benzene, and obtained by the distillation of certain bituminous materials, such as the heavy oil of coal tar. It is the type and basis of a large number of derivatives among organic compounds. Formerly called also naphthaline. Naphthalene red (Chem.), a dyestuff obtained from certain diazo derivatives of naphthylamine, and called also magdala red. — Naphthalene yellow (Chem.), a yellow dyestuff obtained from certain nitro derivatives of naphthol.
NAPHTHALENIC
Naph`tha*len"ic, a. (Chem.)