Bis(2-mercaptoethyl) sulfone

White Crystalline Solid

Bis(2-mercaptoethyl) sulfone is a useful reagent for the reduction of disulfides in aquous solutions. It is a superior substitute for DTT.

Reagent for reduction of disulfide bonds in aqueous solutions.

BMS recrystallises from hexane as white fluffy crystals. Large amounts are best recrystallised from de-oxygenated H2O (charcoal). It is a good alternative reducing agent to dithiothreitol. Its IR (film) has 2995, 2657, 1306, 1248, 1124 and 729 cm-1 . The synthetic intermediate thioacetate has m 82-83o (white crystals from CCl4). The disulfide is purified by flash chromatography on SiO2 and elution with 50% EtOAc/hexane and recrystallised from hexane, and has m 137-139o. [Lamoureux & Whitesides J Org Chem 58 633 1993, Beilstein 1 IV 2455.]