Potassium thioacetate

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Potassium thioacetate
Identifiers
3D model (
JSmol
)
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard
100.030.759 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 233-848-7
MeSH C005732
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C2H4OS.K/c1-2(3)4;/h1H3,(H,3,4);/q;+1/p-1
    Key: AFNBMGLGYSGFEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-M
  • CC(=O)[S-].[K+]
Properties
C2H3KOS
Molar mass 114.21
Appearance white solid
good
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Potassium thioacetate is an

organosulfur compound and a salt with the formula CH3COSK+. This white, water-soluble solid is used as a reagent for preparing thioacetate esters and other derivatives.[1]

Synthesis and reactions

Potassium thioacetate, which is commercially available, can be prepared by combining

potassium hydrogen sulfide
:

CH3COCl + 2 KSH → KCl + CH3COSK + H2S

It arises also by the neutralization of thioacetic acid with potassium hydroxide.

Use in preparation of thiols

In a common application, potassium thioacetate is combined with

alkylating agents to give thioacetate esters (X = halide
):

CH3COSK + RX → CH3COSR + KX

Hydrolysis of these esters affords thiols:

CH3COSR + H2O → CH3CO2H + RSH

The thioacetate esters can also be cleaved with methanethiol in the presence of stoichiometric base, as illustrated in the preparation of pent-4-yne-1-thiol:[2]

H3C(CH2)3OMs + KSAc → H3C(CH2)3SAc + KOMs
H3C(CH2)3SAc + HSMe → H3C(CH2)3SH + MeSAc

References