2-Mercaptoethanol

2-Mercaptoethanol
Structural formula of 2-mercaptoethanol
Ball and stick model of 2-mercaptoethanol
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
2-Sulfanylethan-1-ol[1]
Other names
2-Mercaptoethan-1-ol
2-Hydroxy-1-ethanethiol
β-Mercaptoethanol
Thioglycol
Beta-merc
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
3DMet
773648
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
DrugBank
ECHA InfoCard 100.000.422 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 200-464-6
1368
KEGG
MeSH Mercaptoethanol
RTECS number
  • KL5600000
UNII
UN number 2966
  • InChI=1S/C2H6OS/c3-1-2-4/h3-4H,1-2H2 checkY
    Key: DGVVWUTYPXICAM-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
  • OCCS
Properties
C2H6OS
Molar mass 78.13 g·mol−1
Odor Disagreeable, distinctive
Density 1.114 g/cm3
Melting point −100 °C (−148 °F; 173 K)
Boiling point 157 °C; 314 °F; 430 K
log P −0.23
Vapor pressure 0.76 hPa (at 20 °C);
4.67 hPa (at 40 °C)
Acidity (pKa) 9.643
Basicity (pKb) 4.354
1.4996
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS05: Corrosive GHS06: Toxic GHS09: Environmental hazard
Danger
H301, H310, H315, H317, H318, H330, H410
P260, P273, P280, P284, P301+P310, P302+P350
Flash point 68 °C (154 °F; 341 K)
Explosive limits 18%
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
244 mg/kg (oral, rat)[2]
150 mg/kg (skin, rabbit)[2]
Related compounds
Related compounds
Ethylene glycol
1,2-Ethanedithiol
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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2-Mercaptoethanol (also β-mercaptoethanol, BME, 2BME, 2-ME or β-met) is the chemical compound with the formula HOCH2CH2SH. ME or βME, as it is commonly abbreviated, is used to reduce disulfide bonds and can act as a biological antioxidant by scavenging hydroxyl radicals (amongst others). It is widely used because the hydroxyl group confers solubility in water and lowers the volatility. Due to its diminished vapor pressure, its odor, while unpleasant, is less objectionable than related thiols.

  1. ^ Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry : IUPAC Recommendations and Preferred Names 2013 (Blue Book). Cambridge: The Royal Society of Chemistry. 2014. p. 697. doi:10.1039/9781849733069-FP001 (inactive 2024-06-30). ISBN 978-0-85404-182-4. The prefixes 'mercapto' (–SH), and 'hydroseleno' or selenyl (–SeH), etc. are no longer recommended.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of June 2024 (link)
  2. ^ a b 2-Mercaptoethanol