Dibutyl sulfide (also named as butyl sulfide; N-butyl sulfide; Di-n-butyl sulfide; butylthiobutane), a colorless to pale yellow clear liquid, is a symmetric thioether. Dibutyl sulfide is found in raw cabbage, boiled and cooked beef, and some varieties of mushroom.
Dibutyl sulfide is typically used as a flavoring agent. As a thioether, dibutyl sulfide has applications in organic synthesis as a solvent as well as a reagent. It is used to synthesize specific compound classes including property-enhancing additives, pharmacological drugs, chemical resistant polymers, detergents, and rubber antioxidants. Dibutyl sulfide can also be used as an agricultural intermediate, a sulfiding agent, a refinery catalyst, a lubricant additive, a gas odorant, and a processing aid in mining applications. Furthermore, it can be used as an internal standard in X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) measurements of sulfur in oils and other liquid hydrocarbon matrices.
