Ethanethiol

Ethanethiol is a volatile organosulfur compound with formula C₂H₆S and a strong, skunk-like odor. It is added to fuel gas so leaks can be detected by smell.

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Thiol: An organic compound containing a sulfhydryl group, –SH, bonded to carbon. Ethanethiol is the two-carbon member of this sulfur-containing compound family.
Natural gas odorization: The addition of strongly smelling substances to natural gas to make leaks detectable. Ethanethiol can serve as the warning odorant in fuel-gas distribution.
Methanethiol: The simplest thiol, with formula CH₄S and one carbon atom. It is a smaller thiol with a similarly pungent odor and distinct volatility.
Odor fatigue: A reduced response to an odor after prolonged or repeated exposure. Continuous exposure can make ethanethiol less noticeable, limiting smell as a lasting warning.
Ethane: A colorless, odorless hydrocarbon with formula C₂H₆ and two carbon atoms joined by a single bond. Replacing one hydrogen in ethane with –SH gives ethanethiol.
Liquefied petroleum gas: A fuel composed mainly of propane, butane, or their mixture, stored as a liquid under pressure. Ethanethiol is used to odorize some LPG supplies where regulations and formulations permit.
Propanethiol: A three-carbon thiol with formula C₃H₈S. Its longer carbon chain distinguishes it from ethanethiol while preserving the thiol group.
Olfactory adaptation: A decline in perceived odor intensity during sustained exposure to an odorant. Adaptation can reduce awareness of ethanethiol even while it remains present.
Sulfur–hydrogen bond: A covalent bond between a sulfur atom and a hydrogen atom. Its presence in ethanethiol contributes to the compound’s characteristic chemical reactivity.
Mercaptan: A common name for an organosulfur compound containing a carbon–sulfur–hydrogen group. Ethanethiol belongs to the class often called mercaptans in industrial odorization.