3-Methyl-2-butanethiol CAS 2084-18-6
Chemical Information
- IUPAC Name: 3-Methylbutane-2-thiol
- Common Names:
- 3-Methyl-2-butanethiol
- 2-Butanethiol, 3-methyl-
- iso-Butyl mercaptan (common industrial name)
- CAS Number: 2084-18-6
- Molecular Formula: C₅H₁₂S
- Molar Mass: 104.21 g/mol
| Product Name |
3-Methyl-2-butanethiol |
| Synonyms |
3-Methyl-2-butyl Mercaptan; 3-Methyl-2-butanethiol, 95%, remainder mainly 2-methyl-1-butanethiol; 3-Methyl-2-butanethiol >=98.0%; 3-Methyl-butyl-2-thiol; 1,2-Dimethylpropyl hydrosulfide; 2-butanethiol,3-methyl-; 3-methyl-2-Butanethio |
| CAS |
2084-18-6 |
| MF |
C5H12S |
| MW |
104.21 |
| EINECS |
218-223-9 |
| Form |
liquid (estimate) |
| Odor Type |
sulfurous |
Key Applications and Uses
Despite its foul smell, this property is precisely what makes it useful in several applications:
- Odorant for Natural Gas and LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas): This is its primary industrial use. Natural gas and propane are naturally odorless. A tiny, non-toxic concentration of 3-Methyl-2-butanethiol (or a mixture of thiols and sulfides) is added to serve as a warning agent. Its powerful smell allows people to detect potentially dangerous gas leaks easily.
- Chemical Intermediate: Used in organic synthesis for the introduction of the thiyl group or as a building block for more complex sulfur-containing compounds.
- Component in "Skunk" Spray: The defensive spray of skunks contains several thiols and thioacetates. While the primary culprits are simpler thiols, various branched-chain thiols like 3-Methyl-2-butanethiol can contribute to the complex and long-lasting odor.