Iodoform is the organoiodine compound with the formula ChI3. A pale yellow, crystalline, volatile substance, it has a penetrating odor (in older chemistry texts, the smell is sometimes referred to as the smell of hospitals) and, analogous to chloroform, sweetish taste. It is occasionally used as a disinfectant It is also known as tri-iodomethane, and sometimes also referred to as carbon triiodide (which is not strictly correct, as this compound also contains hydrogen) or methyl triiodide (which is somewhat ambiguous as that name could also refer to the methylated tiiodide ion, CH3I3).