What is iodoform (triiodomethane), what was it traditionally used for, and to what is its antiseptic action actually attributed?

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Iodoform, or triiodomethane, is a yellow crystalline solid with a strong, characteristic odour, prepared classically via the haloform reaction. It was traditionally applied directly to wounds as an antiseptic dressing. However, iodoform itself is not the active antiseptic agent -- its germicidal effect comes from the small, steady amount of free iodine that it slowly releases in contact with tissue, iodine being the actual antimicrobial species. Because of its persistent smell and the development of better-tolerated antiseptic formulations, …

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CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Which of the following compounds is known as DDT?$
(a) A benzene ring bearing two Cl substituents (one ortho, one shown below the ring) attached directly to -CH2-CCl3
(b) Two benzene rings, each bearing one Cl substituent, both attached to a central -CH- which is also bonded to -CCl3 (i.e. Cl-C6H4-CH(-C6H4-Cl)-CCl3, with the two Cl atoms drawn in an ortho-like arrangement)
(c) Two benzene rings, each bearing one Cl substituent, both attached to a central -CH- which is bonded to -CHCl2 (i.e. Cl-C6H4-CH(-C6H4-Cl)-CHCl2)
(d) Two benzene rings, each bearing one Cl substituent (para position), both attached to a central -CH- which is bonded to -CCl3 (i.e. Cl-C6H4-CH(-C6H4-Cl)-CCl3) — the standard DDT structure
›Reveal solutionSolution

DDT = 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane — two p-chlorophenyl rings on a CH carbon, with a $-CCl_3$ group.

DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is a well-known chlorinated organic insecticide discussed under the environmental effects of haloarenes because of its persistence and bioaccumulation (it is non-biodegradable and builds up in fatty tissue up the food chain). Structurally it consists of two chlorobenzene rings (each chlorine substituted at the para position relative to the point of attachment), both attached to a single central CH carbon, which is in turn bonded to a trichloromethyl ( $-CCl_3$ ) group: $Cl$ - $C_6H_4$ - $CH$ ( $-C_6H_4$ - $Cl$ )- …

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CBSE 2016Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
$Q. Which of the following is an example of freon?$
(a) BrCH2CH2Cl
(b) CCl2F2
(c) CCl2Br2
(d) ICH2CH2F
›Reveal solutionSolution

Freons are chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) compounds; among the given options, only CCl₂F₂ (Freon-12) fits that class.

"Freon" is the trade name for a family of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) compounds — simple haloalkanes containing both chlorine and fluorine attached to carbon, historically used as refrigerants and aerosol propellants.

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Q.What is iodoform (triiodomethane), what was it traditionally used for, and to what is its antiseptic action actually attributed?

Concept understanding — Environmental Effects of Halogenated Compounds

Q.What is iodoform (triiodomethane), what was it traditionally used for, and to what is its antiseptic action actually attributed?

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