Isopropyl mercaptan is a

thiol In organic chemistry, a thiol (; ), or thiol derivative, is any organosulfur compound of the form , where R represents an alkyl or other organic substituent. The functional group itself is referred to as either a thiol group or a sulfhydryl grou ...

with the formula C₃H₈S. It is a water-white liquid with an extremely pungent odor resembling

skunk spray Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or gi ...

or rotten eggs. The pungent smell allows it to be used as an

odorizer An odorizer is a device that adds an odorant to a gas. The most common type is one that adds a mercaptan liquid into natural gas distribution systems so that leaks can be readily detected. Other types have been used for carbon dioxide fire ex ...

. The

FDA The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food ...

has approved it for use as a

food additive Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance taste, appearance, or other sensory qualities. Some additives, such as vinegar ( pickling), salt ( salting), smoke ( smoking) and sugar ( crystallization), have been used f ...

for its flavor. Another use is as a rubber additive.{{Cite journal , last1=Li , first1=Zhiwei , last2=An , first2=Dong , last3=He , first3=Rizheng , last4=Sun , first4=Zhijian , last5=Li , first5=Jiaxiong , last6=Zhang , first6=Zhiyi , last7=Liu , first7=Yaqing , last8=Wong , first8=Chingping , date=April 2023 , title=The design of crosslinks in different vulcanized systems to improve crack growth resistance for carbon black/graphene oxide/natural rubber composites , url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s42114-023-00662-z , journal=Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials , language=en , volume=6 , issue=2 , doi=10.1007/s42114-023-00662-z , s2cid=258137193 , issn=2522-0128, url-access=subscription

References

Alkanethiols Foul-smelling chemicals

See also

References