methyl mercaptan
Sign in to saveMethanethiol ( ), also called methyl mercaptan, is an organosulfur compound with the chemical formula . It is a colorless flammable gas with a distinctive putrid smell. In small amounts, it is pervasive in nature and found in certain foods, such as some nuts and cheese. It contributes to many odors, including the emissions from pulp mills, bad breath, and flatus. Methanethiol is the simplest thiol and is sometimes abbreviated as MeSH.
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8 sectionsContents
- Structure and reactions
- Occurrence
- Preparation
- Uses
- Safety
- Accidents
- References
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Methanethiol ( ), also called methyl mercaptan, is an organosulfur compound with the chemical formula . It is a colorless flammable gas with a distinctive putrid smell. In small amounts, it is pervasive in nature and found in certain foods, such as some nuts and cheese. It contributes to many odors, including the emissions from pulp mills, bad breath, and flatus. Methanethiol is the simplest thiol and is sometimes abbreviated as MeSH.
==Structure and reactions== The molecule is tetrahedral at the carbon atom, like methanol. It is a weak acid, with a pKa of ~10.4, but is about a hundred thousand times more acidic than methanol. The colorless salt can be obtained by treatment with sodium methoxide: CH3SH + CH3ONa → CH3SNa + CH3OH The thiolate anion in sodium methanethiolate is a strong nucleophile.