irisscientist

No, nobody wants anybody hurt. Unfortunately however there is NO alternative, otherwise I would have used that instead. It is intended to be used to ascertain it's attraction capabilities to a specific species of butterfly. 5 years of research has resulted in the implication that this particular species of butterfly utilise Methanethiol (part of the Methionine degradation pathway) to find the methyl branched hydrocarbon precursors that are required to produce the male pheromone compound. I could quote the 100+ references that I have for my research, but nobody really wants to read these. Bottom line is that these butterflies utilise Methanethiol to locate a source of Methionine, which is one of the known insect precursors (along with Valine, Isoleucine and Propionate) for the biosynthesis of methyl branched hydrocarbon chains (the pheromone compound). Due to the butterflies highly specific antennal recognition, ONLY Methanethiol will do. We ideally wanted a quick, easy (as well as cheap) way to produce this gas to order, as and when it was required for use with some extremely sensitive EAD (electro-antennographic detection) analysis. This is therefore the why and what-for. Can anybody therefore please help in the how? If you'd rather not simply post the answer on here, please could you drop me a PM, or alternatively send me an email. Your answers really would be very much appreciated. These butterflies are only around for 3 weeks every year, and considering that they all started to hatch a few days ago, the clock is now already ticking. If we are unable to perform these experiments in the next couple of weeks we'll have to wait another calendar year before we'll be able to perform these experiments again.

Thankfully I only need a small quantity. IS this a Chemistry forum, or a judgemental forum? Do you wish me to submit COSHH records and produce a full RISK assessment for the planned experiment?

Hi all, I need to produce some of this rather unpleasant smelling gas for a bioassay. Can anybody please suggest an easy (pseudo-home) chemical reaction with ideally, easily obtainable/not-too-expensive compounds that will form this gas upon reaction? Although Sigma do sell the gas (neat), as I only need a limited/small quantity for my tests, I do not want to order cylinders of the stuff, which incidentally are not only currently out-of-stock are also also very expensive. My limited Chemistry back ground has revealed the following: "Sodium merthiolate sold on the market is spontaneously converted to methanethiol in acidic medium". In addition, Wikipedia suggests that "Methanethiol is prepared commercially by the reaction of methanol with hydrogen sulphide gas over an acidic solid catalyst, such asalumina". Sodium merthiolate however is extremely expensive (even from Sigma) and obviously it would not be possible to replicate the Wiki procedure even in a basic biological lab environment. Another option suggested was the use of Sodium thiomethoxide to produce methanethiol after hydrolysis of the salt. Not being a Chemist however, I do not know if this (salt hydrolysis), or any other reaction would actually produce the gas required in sufficient quantities? Is anybody please able to offer any suggestions relating to the production of this gas? Many thanks in advance for any information relating to this matter. Mark

>That's because what you're talking about are esters Thank you hypervalent_iodone. Exactly the kind of school grade chemistry I needed. Would any readers of the forum perhaps also be able to link/know of any websites which would display (and name) the C11-C21 versions of these esters? Many thanks again, irisscientist hypervalent_iodine

Obviously there is a free atom connected to the Oxygen (in the diagram) as only one link is shown. I know that the structure (displayed) is the basis for ethanonic acid (acetic acid), and that the -COOH group forms a Carboxylic acid. I am however specifically interested in the group of compounds which have saturated Carbon chain elongations (C11-C21) connected to the 'free' Oxygen leaving the Methyl group and the Oxygens as displayed. Most of the carboxylic acids appear to elongate via the Methyl group, not via the 'free' Oxygen atom. Apologies, I obviously should have made my initial question much clearer. Any/all help that people might please be able to provide in relation to this query really would be very much appreciated.

Dear all, Unfortunately my chemistry isn't up to much. I was therefore wondering if anybody might please be able to help assist in identifying/naming the common group in the image attached? If possible I was also hoping to putatively name any simple 11-15 hydrocarbon compounds which exhibit this group at one of their terminal ends? Any/all help is very much appreciated. irisscientist