Chemical Properties
clear yellow viscous liquid after melting
Uses
Bis(2-hydroxyethyl) disulfide is used as an intermediate in chemical research.
Definition
ChEBI: 2,2'-dithiodiethanol is an organic disulfide.
Synthesis Reference(s)
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 80, p. 838, 1958
DOI: 10.1021/ja01537a022Synthesis, p. 50, 1978
Safety Profile
Poison by
intraperitoneal route. When heated to
decomposition it emits toxic fumes of SOx,.
Synthesis
The raw materials 3-mercapto-1-propanol (0.92 g, 1 mmol) and sodium iodide (1.5 mg, 0.01 mmol) were put into a three-necked flask, and 3 mL of ethyl acetate was added as a solvent, and 30% hydrogen peroxide (0.11 mL, 1 mmol) was added slowly dropwise under magnetic stirring. After the dropwise addition, stirring was continued for half an hour at 30 C. After stirring, 15 mL of saturated aqueous sodium thiosulfate solution was added and extracted with 15 mL of ethyl acetate. The extract was then washed with 15 mL of saturated brine and then dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate, and finally, the solvent was removed by spinning to obtain the product 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide in 98% yield.
