Need help with ID'ing a chemical
Erick Singley
Well, in the Merkck index C2H6S [S being Sulfur] I find:
Methyl Sulfide "Liquid: disagreeable odor... as a solvent for anhydr mineral
salts" [ also thiobismethane ]
and Ethanethiol "CH3CH2SH.. Found in urine of rabbits after ingestion of cabbage
. Is formed in vinous fermentation...petroleum distillates...*keep tightly
closed and in a cool place* [italics]... odorant for natural gas...may be
narcotic in high concs. Irritating to mucous membranes."
CRC says much the same.
jodi.weber
I don't remember there being an "s" on the periodic table, but it's
been years since I took chemistry in college. Also, what is this gas
known for?
Please post or preferably e-mail me any responses FAST - I'm under
a time deadline here.
My thanks for any and all help!!
Jodi Weber
jodi...@attmail.com or jwe...@cbnewsg.cb.att.com
Gregory A. Nelson
name. I hope this helps and should be in plenty of time.
Greg.
MICHAEL ROGERS
>Can someone help me identify what gas has the chemical symbol C2H5SH?
That would be beta-mercaptoethanol, the S is sulfur and this chemical
STINKS.
>I don't remember there being an "s" on the periodic table, but it's
huh?
wmel...@ntet.nctr.fda.gov
>
> That would be beta-mercaptoethanol
No. Beta-mercaptoethanol is HSCH2CH2OH -- both a thiol and a hyrdoxyl.
The compound in question goes by several names, such as ethanethiol, ethyl
hydrosulfide, ethyl mercaptan, and ethyl thioalcohol. The handbook of
chemistry and physics lists its boiling point as 35 deg C, so it's
actually a low-boiling liquid. I've never used it, but it probably smells
awful.
___________________________________________________________________________
William B. Melchior, Jr. WMEL...@NTET.NCTR.FDA.GOV
Opinions stated are mine, not that of my employers.
mor...@ramblr.enet.dec.com
One of the butanethiols is essence of skunk.
I assume the other simple thiols stink as well. Are any of them such
as methanethiol or propanethiol the odors of something recognizable?
-Mike
pug...@bclcl1.im.battelle.org
Given that you are not a 'chemical person', I assume that I can limit
the list of possibilies and uses to the most common.
The most common would be Ethanethiol or Ethyl Mercaptan. This stuff
is stinky, I mean real bad. I've seen a demonstration where a small
flask of this stuff left open in a room of people will force everyone
out within a minute (don't ask!). Anyway, it is most commonly used
in a gas form for placing the scent on natural gas fed to you home.
The gas company adds it in an extremely small quantity so that if you
have a natural gas leak (which would otherwise be odorless), it will
be obvious.
Based upon the way you wrote the formula (C2H5SH), that is my main
guess. I suppose you could also be wanting Dimethyl Sulfide which is
usually used in pesticide manufacturing, but that would normally be
written (C2H6S or CH3SCH3).
Oh, also "S" stands for Sulfur.
Hope this helps---
kdp
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| All this science I don't understand; |
| It's just my job five days a week. |
| -Elton John |
| "Rocket Man" |
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Howard Berkey
In college we had to work with a thiophenyl- substance and it actually
had DANGER:Stench on the label.
-Howard
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Howard Berkey how...@netcom.com
Its in my brain now
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Stephen Jacobs
>One of the butanethiols is essence of skunk.
That isn't really right, although it gets the (pardon me) essence of things
right. Warning agents for natural gas are mixtures: typically of C1 through
C4 thiols. Methanethiol diffuses fastest, ethanethiol smells strongest and
butanethiol smells worst. And skunk chemistry is more advanced than simple
mercaptans (I've seen some articles on it lately, but don't remember the
results--probably sime ester groups involved too, though).
>
>I assume the other simple thiols stink as well. Are any of them such
>as methanethiol or propanethiol the odors of something recognizable?
Well, at very VERY low levels, methanethiol is responsible for the scalded
taste in cooked milk. Since this began with the formula C2H6S, it's fair to
mention that methyl sulfide has the aroma of canned corn at low levels, and of
molasses at higher levels.
Steve s...@chinet.chi.il.us
Tom Schneider
>In college we had to work with a thiophenyl- substance and it actually
>had DANGER:Stench on the label.
I've worked with that stuff! We got some for the early days of DNA synthesis
at the University of Colorado, (Caruthers was just across campus). I ordered
some. It came in a box. I held the box in my arms and brought it down the
hall. I stank from the smell then! I opened the box. It had vermiculite
in it, and inside that (I think) a metal container. I opened that container
and found a sealed glass bottle... The stuff is powerful...
Tom Schneider
National Cancer Institute
Laboratory of Mathematical Biology
Frederick, Maryland 21702-1201
to...@ncifcrf.gov
Bill Newcomb
>In college we had to work with a thiophenyl- substance and it actually
>had DANGER:Stench on the label.
I've been in one lab in which one person was using thiophenol. I never want
to be in such a position again--the stuff permeates your clothes, your skin,
everything, and religious people worry when they smell you approaching :-)
The secret for managing this stuff is bleach. The moment something no longer
needs to have this stuff on it, dump it in or in it regular household
bleach. This is how I survived that summer.
It does indeed stink. O yes.
nuke
--
~/.oo