Methanol → 1,3-Bis(2-hydroxyethylthio)propane

The sodium mercaptide of 2-mercaptoethanol was made by reacting 1 mole each of sodium methoxide and 2-mercaptoethanol in dry methanol under a nitrogen atmosphere. To this solution, 0.5 mole of 1,3-dichloropropane was added and the mixture was refluxed for 1 hour and filtered. The methanol filtrate was evaporated on a flash evaporator and traces of 2-mercaptoethanol were distilled off at high vacuum at room temperature. The yellow, oily residue was extracted with acetone, the solution filtered, and the acetone evaporated to give a 95 percent yield of the crude product.