Thioacetic acid is an

organosulfur compound Organosulfur compounds are organic compounds that contain sulfur. They are often associated with foul odors, but many of the sweetest compounds known are organosulfur derivatives, e.g., saccharin. Nature abounds with organosulfur compounds—sulf ...

with the

molecular formula In chemistry, a chemical formula is a way of presenting information about the chemical proportions of atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound or molecule, using chemical element symbols, numbers, and sometimes also other symbols, ...

. It is the sulfur analogue of

acetic acid Acetic acid , systematically named ethanoic acid , is an acidic, colourless liquid and organic compound with the chemical formula (also written as , , or ). Vinegar is at least 4% acetic acid by volume, making acetic acid the main componen ...

(), as implied by the ''

thio- The prefix thio-, when applied to a chemical, such as an ion, means that an oxygen atom in the compound has been replaced by a sulfur atom. This term is often used in organic chemistry. For example, from the word ''ether,'' referring to an oxyg ...

'' prefix. It is a yellow liquid with a strong

thiol In organic chemistry, a thiol (; ), or thiol derivative, is any organosulfur compound of the form , where R represents an alkyl or other organic substituent. The functional group itself is referred to as either a thiol group or a sulfhydryl gro ...

-like odor. It is used in

organic synthesis Organic synthesis is a special branch of chemical synthesis and is concerned with the intentional construction of organic compounds. Organic molecules are often more complex than inorganic compounds, and their synthesis has developed into one o ...

for the introduction of thiol groups () in molecules.

Synthesis and properties

Thioacetic acid is prepared by the reaction of

acetic anhydride Acetic anhydride, or ethanoic anhydride, is the chemical compound with the formula (CH3CO)2O. Commonly abbreviated Ac2O, it is the simplest isolable anhydride of a carboxylic acid and is widely used as a reagent in organic synthesis. It is a co ...

with

hydrogen sulfide Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless chalcogen-hydride gas, and is poisonous, corrosive, and flammable, with trace amounts in ambient atmosphere having a characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. The under ...

: :(CH3C(O))2O + H2S -> CH3C(O)SH + CH3C(O)OH It has also been produced by the action of

phosphorus pentasulfide Phosphorus pentasulfide is the inorganic compound with the formula (monomer) or (dimer). This yellow solid is the one of two phosphorus sulfides of commercial value. Samples often appear greenish-gray due to impurities. It is soluble in carbon d ...

on glacial

, followed by distillation. :CH3C(O)OH + P2S5 -> CH3C(O)SH + P2OS4 Thioacetic acid is typically contaminated by acetic acid. The compound exists exclusively as the thiol

tautomer Tautomers () are structural isomers (constitutional isomers) of chemical compounds that readily interconvert. The chemical reaction interconverting the two is called tautomerization. This conversion commonly results from the relocation of a hy ...

, consistent with the strength of the double bond. Reflecting the influence of hydrogen-bonding, the

boiling point The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which the vapor pressure of a liquid equals the pressure surrounding the liquid and the liquid changes into a vapor. The boiling point of a liquid varies depending upon the surrounding env ...

(93 °C) and melting points are 20 and 75 K lower than those for

Reactivity

Acidity

With a p''K''_a near 3.4, thioacetic acid is about 15 times more acidic than acetic acid. The conjugate base is thioacetate: :CH3C(O)SH -> CH3C(O)S- + H+ In neutral water, thioacetic acid is fully ionized.

Reactivity of thioacetate

Most of the reactivity of thioacetic acid arises from the conjugate base, thioacetate. Salts of this anion, e.g. potassium thioacetate, are used to generate thioacetate esters. Thioacetate esters undergo hydrolysis to give thiols. A typical method for preparing a thiol from an

alkyl halide The haloalkanes (also known as halogenoalkanes or alkyl halides) are alkanes containing one or more halogen substituents. They are a subset of the general class of halocarbons, although the distinction is not often made. Haloalkanes are widely us ...

using thioacetic acid proceeds in four discrete steps, some of which can be conducted sequentially in the same flask: :CH3C(O)SH + NaOH -> CH3C(O)SNa + H2O :CH3C(O)SNa + RX -> CH3C(O)SR + NaX \qquad (X\ =\ Cl,\ Br,\ I,\ \dots) :CH3C(O)SR + 2 NaOH -> CH3CO2Na + RSNa + H2O :RSNa + HCl -> RSH + NaCl In an application that illustrates the use of its radical behavior, thioacetic acid is used with AIBN in a

free radical A daughter category of ''Ageing'', this category deals only with the biological aspects of ageing. Ageing Ailments of unknown cause Biogerontology Biological processes Causes of death Cellular processes Gerontology Life extension Metabo ...

mediated

nucleophilic addition In organic chemistry, a nucleophilic addition reaction is an addition reaction where a chemical compound with an electrophilic double or triple bond reacts with a nucleophile, such that the double or triple bond is broken. Nucleophilic additions d ...

to an

exocyclic In organic chemistry, an alicyclic compound contains one or more all-carbon rings which may be either saturated or unsaturated, but do not have aromatic character. Alicyclic compounds may have one or more aliphatic side chains attached. The ...

alkene In organic chemistry, an alkene is a hydrocarbon containing a carbon–carbon double bond. Alkene is often used as synonym of olefin, that is, any hydrocarbon containing one or more double bonds.H. Stephen Stoker (2015): General, Organic ...

forming a thioester: : Thioacetic acid application

Reductive acetylation

Salts of thioacetic acid such as potassium thioacetate can be used to do one-step conversion of nitroarenes to aryl acetamides. This is particularly useful in pharmaceutical preparations, e.g.

paracetamol Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is a medication used to treat fever and mild to moderate pain. Common brand names include Tylenol and Panadol. At a standard dose, paracetamol only slightly decreases body temperature; it is inferio ...

References

{{reflist Organic acids Reagents for organic chemistry Organosulfur compounds Foul-smelling chemicals