2,4-Dithiapentane is an

organosulfur compound Organosulfur compounds are organic compounds that contain sulfur. They are often associated with foul odors, but many of the sweetest compounds known are organosulfur derivatives, e.g., saccharin. Nature abounds with organosulfur compounds—sulf ...

. It is a colorless liquid with a strong odor. 2,4-Dithiapentane is the dimethyl

dithioacetal In organosulfur chemistry, thioacetals are the sulfur ('' thio-'') analogues of acetals (). There are two classes: the less-common monothioacetals, with the formula , and the dithioacetals, with the formula (symmetric dithioacetals) or (as ...

formaldehyde Formaldehyde ( , ) ( systematic name methanal) is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula and structure . The pure compound is a pungent, colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde (refer to section ...

. It is prepared by the acid-catalyzed condensation of

methyl mercaptan Methanethiol (also known as methyl mercaptan) is an organosulfur compound with the chemical formula . It is a colorless gas with a distinctive putrid smell. It is a natural substance found in the blood, brain and feces of animals (including human ...

, the main aromatic compound in both

halitosis Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is a symptom in which a noticeably unpleasant breath odour is present. It can result in anxiety among those affected. It is also associated with depression and symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder. Th ...

and

foot odor Foot odor (also spelled foot odour) or bromodosis is a type of body odor that affects the feet of humans. It is sometimes considered to be an unpleasant smell, but can also be the target of foot fetishism, more specifically as a form of olfac ...

and a secondary compound in

flatulence Flatulence, in humans, is the expulsion of gas from the intestines via the anus, commonly referred to as farting. "Flatus" is the medical word for gas generated in the stomach or bowels. A proportion of intestinal gas may be swallowed enviro ...

, with

. :2 CH₃SH + H₂C=O → CH₃SCH₂SCH₃ + H₂O 2,4-Dithiapentane is found as an aromatic component in some

truffle A truffle is the Sporocarp (veggie), fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus, predominantly one of the many species of the genus ''Tuber (fungus), Tuber''. In addition to ''Tuber'', many other genera of fungi are classified as truf ...

varietals. A synthetic version is used as the primary aromatic additive in commercial "truffle" products, such as

truffle oil Truffle oil is a modern culinary ingredient used to impart the flavor and aroma of truffles to a dish. The ingredient is commonly used as a finishing oil in a variety of dishes, including truffle fries, pasta dishes, pizzas, and puréed foods su ...

truffle butter Truffle butter is a compound butter made with butter combined with other ingredients, including truffles or synthetic truffle flavorings such as 2,4-dithiapentane 2,4-Dithiapentane is an organosulfur compound. It is a colorless liquid with ...

, truffle salt, pastes, etc., many of which contain no truffle content at all. It has also been found to occur naturally in rotting wood of some species in genus

Lecythis ''Lecythis'' is a genus of woody plant in the Lecythidaceae The Lecythidaceae comprise a family of about 20 genera and 250–300 species of woody plants native to tropical South America, Africa (including Madagascar), Asia and Australia. ...

Notes and references

Thioethers {{organic-compound-stub