A colorless gas with a sweet odor. It was once used as a refrigerant in consumer products, but is no longer used because of its toxicity. It is central nervous system irritant, and in high doses can cause paralysis, seizures, and coma. Chloromethane was first synthesized by Peligot in 1835. Its chemical formula is CH₃Cl, and it has a melting point of -97°C, a boiling point of -24°C, and is naturally produced by sunlight reacting with biomass and chlorine in the oceans. It was used industrially as a refrigerant. Chloromethane was also used to made lead based gasoline, but today it is mainly used as a chemical intermediate in silicone production.