Editing Metaldehyde (section)

==Production and properties==
Metaldehyde is flammable, toxic if ingested in large quantities, and irritating to the skin and eyes. It has a white crystalline appearance with a menthol odor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=PubChem |title=Metaldehyde |url=https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/61021 |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |language=en}}</ref>

Metaldehyde is obtained in moderate yields by treatment of [[acetaldehyde]] with chilled [[mineral acids]]. The liquid trimer, [[paraldehyde]] is also obtained. The reaction is reversible; upon heating to about 80&nbsp;°C, metaldehyde and paraldehyde revert to acetaldehyde.

[[File:Metaldehyde-3D-balls.png|thumb|left|The D{{sub|2d}} stereomer]]
Metaldehyde exists as a mixture of four [[stereoisomers]], molecules that differ with respect to the relative orientation of the [[methyl group]]s on the 8-membered ring. The stereoisomers have respectively the [[molecular symmetries]]  C{{sub|s}} (with symmetry of order 2),  C{{sub|2v}} (order 4), D{{sub|2d}} (order 8), and C{{sub|4v}} (order 8). All have at least one plane of reflexion, so none of them is [[chiral]]. 
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