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mercaptan

mercaptan


  1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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,  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.