Acetaminophen Aka Tylenoltm

A beautiful power point done by yours truly

Nathaniel McIntyre

So What Is This Stuff

• Well acetaminophen is a synthesized molecule while first being made out of coal tar we have since found much more efficient (and less gross) methods that will be explained later.

• For you sciency people out there it is formed by the reduction of 4-nitrophenol with tin in glacial acetic acid.

How We Stumbled Across It

• We discovered acetaminophen in 1873• It was done by a man named Harmon

Northrop Morse• It was originally synthesized using the method

in the previous slide how ever it was also discovered in urine

• Used to substitute willow bark.

What The Use?

• Well as we all know Tylenol is an amazing painkiller however it is also used to calm fevers, and help with colds.

Modern Times

• In this day and age we ain’t got time to try to extract things from coal we are to busy burning it and destroying the environment

• Instead we now derive it from ammonia using any cheap acidic substance

Red Alert!

• There are many risks associated with taking Tylenol including

• Allergic reactions• Liver disorders• A whopping 520% chance increase in getting

asthma

So Why Do We Make It?

• Despite all those risks we have to face that it is the easiest to make and therefore cheapest painkiller on the market right now

Any Other Options?

• Well we can use Mentha Piperita which to the non-Latin world means peppermint

• Also there are many other painkillers though they have similar risks and tend to be much more expensive.