Chemical Properties
Clear colorless solution with characteristic odor
General Description
Colorless to faint pink liquid with a repulsive, skunk-like odor.
Reactivity Profile
AMMONIUM THIOGLYCOLATE(5421-46-5) may be sensitive to heat. This compound is incompatible with acids.
Air & Water Reactions
Water soluble.
Fire Hazard
Flash point data for this compound are not available. AMMONIUM THIOGLYCOLATE is combustible.
Description
Ammonium thioglycolate, also known as perm salt, is the chemical compound with the formula HSCH2CO2NH4. Being the salt of a weak acid and weak base, ammonium thioglycolic acid exists in solution as an equilibrium mixture of the salt itself as well as the free carboxylic acid thioglycolic acid (HSCH2CO2H) and ammonia : HSCH2COO- + NH4+ ? HSCH2COOH + NH3.
Uses
acts as a reducing agent in permanent-waving formulations for hair treatment and in shrink-resistant treatment of wool.
Uses
Ammonium thioglycolate is contained in permanent
waves solutions and causes contact dermatitis in
hairdressers.
Uses
Solutions of various strengths are used for hair waving and for hair removal.
Definition
ChEBI: Ammonium thioglycolate is an organic ammonium salt having thioglycolate(1-) as the counterion. Also known as perm salt, it has use in perming hair. It has a role as a reducing agent and an allergen. It contains a thioglycolate(1-).
Health Hazard
Exposure to this compound may cause sensitivity dermatitis of scalp or hands, with edema, erythema, subcutaneous lesions, burning of skin, papular rash and itching. It may also cause hypoglycemia. Other symptoms include central nervous system depression, convulsions and dyspnea.
Flammability and Explosibility
Notclassified
Chemical concepts related to perms
When discussing the chemistry of perms, one should consider two chemical facts. First is the thiol-disulfide equilibrium:
RSH + R'SSR' ? R'SH + RSSR'
where R and R' are organic substituents such as methyl (-CH3), ethyl (-C2H5), or -CH2COO-.
The thiol-disulfide exchange reaction is accelerated by bases such as ammonia, because the base generates some thiolate anion (RS- ), which attacks the disulfide. Thus the ammonia plays multiple roles (and more, see below) in this application.
The second chemical fact is that polar molecules are less volatile than nonpolar ones. So the glycolate substituent makes the thiol nonvolatile and hence non-odorous. An added advantage is that the glycolate confers some solubility in water. One could almost certainly use HSCH3 and ammonia to give a perm, but there would be serious olfactory consequences.
The actual chemistry of perms
A solution containing ammonium thioglycolate contains a lot of free ammonia, which swells hair, rendering it permeable. The thioglycolic acid in the perm solution reduces the disulfide cystine bonds in the cortex of the hair. In a sense, the thioglycolate removes crosslinks. After washing, the hair is treated with a mild solution of hydrogen peroxide, which oxidizes the cysteines back to cystine. These new chemical bonds impart the structural rigidity necessary for a successful perm. The rigidification process is akin to the vulcanization of rubber, where commonly polysulfide linkages are used to crosslink the polymer chains. However, not as many disulfide bonds are reformed as there were before the permanent. As a result, the hair is weaker than before the permanent was applied and repeated applications over the same spot may eventually cause strand breakage.