Dibutyl sulfide

Chemical properties

colourless liquid with a very unpleasant smell

Chemical properties

Butyl sulfide has an herbaceous, green, garlic, onion, heavy odor.

Occurrence

Reported found in raw cabbage, cooked beef and mushrooms.

The Uses of Dibutyl sulfide

Di-n-butyl sulfide is generally used as an agricultural intermediate, a sulfiding agent, a refinery catalyst, a lubricant additive, a gas odorant and a processing aid in mining applications. It finds application as an internal standard in X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) measurements of sulfur in oils and other liquid hydrocarbon matrices.

Preparation

From butyl bromide and sodium sulfide in boiling ethanol; according to some authors two forms exist, exhibiting different boiling points but identical solubilities in various solvents; both forms are insoluble in water.

Definition

ChEBI: Dibutyl sulfide is an aliphatic sulfide.

Aroma threshold values

Recognition: 0.88 ppb

Synthesis Reference(s)

Journal of the American Chemical Society, 73, p. 2251, 1951 DOI: 10.1021/ja01149a096
Tetrahedron Letters, 29, p. 4477, 1988 DOI: 10.1016/S0040-4039(00)80527-4

General Description

Butyl sulfide is a volatile sulfur compound that can be used as a flavoring agent.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Taste at 5 ppm

Purification Methods

Wash the sulfide with aqueous 5% NaOH, then water. Dry with CaCl2 and distil it from sodium. [Beilstein 1 IV 1559.]