Thiols, the Sulfur Analogs of Alcohols and Phenols

Vitamin E is a natural phenolic antioxidant that protects the body against free radicals. 

Sulfur is immediately beneath oxygen in the periodic table and can often take its place in organic structures. The —SH group, called the sulfhydryl group, is the functional group of thiols (page 207). Thiols are named as follows  

Thiols are sometimes called mercaptans, a name that refers to their reaction with mercuric ion to form mercury salts, called mercaptides. 

PROBLEM 7.24 Draw the structure for a. cyclohexyl mercaptan b. 2-hexanethiol 

Alkyl thiols can be made from alkyl halides by nucleophilic displacement with sulfhydryl ion (Table 6.1, entry 10). 

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