Description
3-Mercapto-2-butanol is a chemical compound with the molecular formula C4H10OS and the CAS number 54812-86-1. It is a colorless to almost colorless liquid that has a strong odor of sulfur. It is also known as 2-Hydroxy-3-butanethiol, 3-Hydroxy-2-butanethiol or 2-Mercapto-3-butanol. It is used as a building block for organic synthesis and as a flavoring agent for food and beverages. It can be prepared by various methods, such as the reaction of butan-2,3-epoxide with thiourea, the reaction of 3-chloro-2-butanol with sodium sulfide, or the reaction of 4-pyrimidylmethyl bromide with 3-mercapto-2-butanol2. It can also form complexes with some transition metals, such as copper, nickel, and palladium.