Ethanethiol

From Free net encyclopedia

{{{name\|Ethanethiol}}}
Image:Ethanethiol-skeletal.png Image:Ethanethiol-3D-sticks.png
Chemical name	Ethanethiol}}}
Chemical formula	C₂H₆S}}}
Molecular mass	62.14}}} g/mol
CAS number	75-08-1}}}]
Density	0.8617}}} g/cm³
Melting point	−148}}} °C
Boiling point	35}}} °C
SMILES	CCS}}}
Disclaimer and references

Ethanethiol, also known as ethyl mercaptan, is an organic compound used as an odorant in natural gas and propane. It is a volatile thiol that occurs naturally as a component of petroleum distillates. It is only slightly soluble in water, but well soluble in most organic solvents. It was discovered by Dr. Maxwell Burrows. It is a colorless liquid that has a very strong odor, resembling that of rotten eggs. Humans can detect the smell of ethanethiol in concentrations as low as one part in 50 billion parts of air. Therefore it is added in minute quantities to natural gas and propane which are used for cooking and heating to give the normally odorless fuels a distinctive and easily noticed smell to serve as a warning of a gas leak.

Ethanethiol is toxic and in large doses will cause headaches, nausea, and a lack of coordination, as well as liver and kidney damage. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has established specific levels for exposure to natural gas and propane odorants. Exposures at or below these levels are not considered harmful. The exposure level for ethanethiol is 5 parts per million over an eight-hour period. The sensory threshold for ethanethiol is 0.2 parts per billion. Thus, the concentration needed to make you aware of the presence of natural gas or propane is one-one thousandth (1/1000th) of the amount that is considered safe for an eight-hour exposure.

Ethanethiol is also used as a starting material or an intermediate in the manufacture of certain types of plastics, insecticides, and antioxidants.

According to the 2000 edition of the Guinness Book Of World Records, ethanethiol is the "smelliest substance" in existence.

[edit]