Re: what do they put into methylated spirits to make it that purple colour?

Dear Jacob,

The composition varies, but, in addition to ethanol, mineralised methylated spirit typically contains around 5% methanol and may also contain pyridine or naphtha.

The purple dye is methyl violet, one of the triphenyl methane class of dyes,

formula: C₂₅ H₃₀ N₃ Cl.

IUPAC name: Methanaminium, N - [4- [bis [4 - (dimethylamino) phenyl] methylene] - 2,5 - cyclohexadien - 1 - ylidene] - N -methyl -, chloride

Nigel Barker Head of Science International School of Lusaka