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Chloral hydrate
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<p>Chloral hydrate is a <a href="/facts/Geminal_diol/1cv1vEBN">geminal diol</a> with the <a href="/facts/Chemical_formula/hghUtthl">formula</a> <a href="/facts/Chlorine/y27UwYBM">Cl</a>3<a href="/facts/Carbon/ukrgQexo">C</a>−C<a href="/facts/Hydrogen/BoYHjl0J">H</a>(<a href="/facts/Oxygen/acyn6o8r">O</a>H)2. It was first used as a <a href="/facts/Sedative/JWzvq66P">sedative</a> and <a href="/facts/Hypnotic/0SBVYkMe">hypnotic</a> in Germany in the 1870s. Over time it was replaced by safer and more effective alternatives but it remained in use in the United States until at least the 1970s. It sometimes finds usage as a laboratory <a href="/facts/Chemical_reagent/c3GLInCu">chemical reagent</a> and precursor. It is derived from <a href="/facts/Chloral/McAbToK0">chloral</a> (trichloroacetaldehyde) by the addition of one <a href="/facts/Equivalent_(chemistry)/ksgd425g">equivalent</a> of water. </p>