Why is pyridine added to ethyl alcohol as a denaturant? Does it undergo chemical reaction?

1 Answer
Apr 7, 2016

Pyridine is added as a denaturant, but it does not undergo chemical reaction.

Explanation:

Even to this day, I find there are few things that smell as offensively as pyridine. Amines all smell pretty foul, but the sour/acrid smell of pyridine makes me ill. So if pyridine is added to an alcohol, and you consumed it, you would probably puke in short order.