Xref: utzoo sci.research:1599 sci.psychology:4556 sci.bio:4604
Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!ub!kitty!larry
From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: sci.research,sci.psychology,sci.bio
Subject: Re: Skunk Glands
Summary: Ethanethiol vs. 1-butanethiol
Keywords: skunk odor
Message-ID: <4800@kitty.UUCP>
Date: 14 Mar 91 20:14:00 GMT
References: <1991Mar14.005509.20271@massey.ac.nz> <5507@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU>
Followup-To: sci.bio
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 13

In article <5507@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU> minsky@media-lab.media.mit.edu (Marvin Minsky) writes:
>>I am interested in making some SKUNK ODOUR.
>
>My recollection is that it is a very simple compound indeed, C2H5-SH.

	C2H5SH is ethanethiol (ethyl mercaptan) and is the odorant most
commonly added to natural gas.  Ethanethiol is extremely volatile.  While
I would not be surprised if some ethanethiol were present in skunk odor,
the major thio-alcohol is 1-butanethiol.

Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp.  "Have you hugged your cat today?"
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