Methanethiol

Methanethiol is a colorless, volatile organosulfur compound with formula CH₃SH, also called methyl mercaptan. Its strong, unpleasant odor is detectable at very low concentrations.

Thiol: An organic compound containing a sulfhydryl group, –SH, bonded to carbon. Methanethiol is the simplest thiol, with one carbon bonded to the –SH group.
Methionine: An essential sulfur-containing amino acid used in protein synthesis and cellular metabolism. Microbial breakdown of methionine is a major natural source of methanethiol.
Olfactometry: The measurement of odor using human sensory responses under controlled conditions. Olfactometry can quantify methanethiol’s odor impact in air samples.
Odor threshold: The lowest concentration of an airborne substance that can be detected by smell. Methanethiol’s very low odor threshold explains why tiny amounts can dominate an odor.
Hydrogen sulfide: A colorless, toxic gas with formula H₂S and a characteristic rotten-egg odor. Replacing methanethiol’s methyl group with hydrogen gives this simpler sulfur hydride.
Methionine gamma-lyase: An enzyme that cleaves methionine to produce methanethiol, ammonia, and a carbon-containing product. This enzyme provides a direct biochemical route from methionine to methanethiol.
Gas chromatography: An analytical method that separates volatile compounds as they pass through a column in a gas stream. It separates methanethiol from other volatile sulfur compounds for identification and measurement.
Volatile organic compounds: Carbon-containing compounds that readily evaporate under ordinary environmental conditions. Methanethiol’s volatility places it among compounds that readily enter the atmosphere.
Methanethiolate: The conjugate base CH₃S⁻ formed when methanethiol loses a proton. This charged form is more reactive than methanethiol in many sulfur-transfer reactions.
Anaerobic digestion: The microbial breakdown of organic matter without oxygen, producing biogas and other products. Sulfur-containing compounds in digesters can be transformed into methanethiol.

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EthanethiolCompared with: It is a smaller thiol with a similarly pungent odor and distinct volatility.