Mercaptan

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mercaptan \Mer*cap"tan\, n. [F., fr. NL. mercurius mercury + L.
     captans, p. pr. of captare to seize, v. intens. fr. capere.]
     (Chem.)
     Any one of series of compounds having an {-SH} radical
     attached to a carbon atom, also considered as hydrosulphides
     of alcohol radicals, in composition resembling the alcohols,


     but containing sulphur in place of oxygen, and hence called
     also the {sulphur alcohols}. In general, they are colorless
     liquids having a strong, repulsive, garlic odor. The name is
     specifically applied to ethyl mercaptan, {C2H5SH}. So called
     from its avidity for mercury, and other metals.
     [1913 Webster]