Dimethyl sulfide

Occurrence and production

DMS originates primarily from DMSP, a major secondary metabolite in some marine algae. DMS is the most abundant biological sulfur compound emitted to the atmosphere.{{cite book

DMS is also produced naturally by bacterial transformation of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

Marine phytoplankton also produce dimethyl sulfide, and DMS is also produced by bacterial cleavage of extracellular DMSP. This may be an adaptive trait, as the algae can use the resulting clouds to disperse themselves around the world. DMS has been characterized as the "smell of the sea", though it would be more accurate to say that DMS is a component of the smell of the sea, others being chemical derivatives of DMS, such as oxides, and yet others being algal pheromones such as dictyopterenes.

Dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and dimethyl trisulfide have been found among the volatiles given off by the fly-attracting plant known as dead-horse arum (Helicodiceros muscivorus). Those compounds are components of an odor like rotting meat, which attracts various pollinators that feed on carrion, such as many species of flies.

Astronomical detection

Dimethyl sulfide has been detected in comets, which indicates non-living sources are available. For comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the European Space Agency sampled the cloud of dust and gas shed from the comet.

Industrial production

In industry dimethyl sulfide is produced by treating hydrogen sulfide with methanol over an aluminium oxide catalyst: : Dimethyl sulfide is emitted by kraft pulping mills as a side product from delignification.

Odor

Dimethyl sulfide has a characteristic odor commonly described as cabbage-like. It becomes highly disagreeable at even quite low concentrations. Some reports claim that DMS has a low olfactory threshold that varies from 0.02 to 0.1 ppm between persons, but it has been suggested that the odor attributed to dimethyl sulfide may in fact be due to disulfides, polysulfides and thiol impurities, since the odor of dimethyl sulfide is much less disagreeable after it is freshly washed with saturated aqueous mercuric chloride. Dimethyl sulfide is also available as a food additive to impart a savory flavor; in such use, its concentration is low. Beetroot, asparagus, cabbage, maize and seafoods produce dimethyl sulfide when cooked.

Dimethyl sulfide is also produced by marine planktonic microorganisms such as the coccolithophores. It contributes to the characteristic odor of sea air. In the Victorian era, before DMS was discovered, the origin of sea air's 'bracing' aroma was misattributed to ozone.

Dimethyl sulfide is the main volatile product various of truffles. It is the compound that animals trained to uncover the fungus (such as pigs and detection dogs) sniff out when searching for them.

Chemical reactions

Lewis basicity

As a Lewis base. It is classified as a soft ligand (see also ECW model). It forms complexes with many transition metals. For example, it serves a displaceable ligand in chloro(dimethyl sulfide)gold(I). It is used is for the production of borane dimethyl sulfide from diborane: :

Other reactions

With chlorinating agents such as sulfuryl chloride, dimethyl sulfide converts to chloromethyl methyl sulfide: :

Like other methylthio compounds, DMS is deprotonated by butyl lithium: :

Oxidation and reduction

Oxidation of dimethyl sulfide gives the solvent dimethyl sulfoxide. Further oxidation affords dimethyl sulfone. Dimethyl sulfide is used in the workup of the ozonolysis of alkenes, where it reduces the intermediate trioxolane.

The Swern oxidation produces dimethyl sulfide by reduction of dimethylsulfoxide.

DMS is oxidized in the marine atmosphere to various sulfur-containing compounds, such as sulfur dioxide, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethyl sulfone, methanesulfonic acid and sulfuric acid. Among these compounds, sulfuric acid has the potential to create new aerosols which act as cloud condensation nuclei. It usually results in the formation of sulfate particles in the troposphere. Through this interaction with cloud formation, the massive production of atmospheric DMS over the oceans may have a significant impact on the Earth's climate. The CLAW hypothesis suggests that in this manner DMS may play a role in planetary homeostasis.

DMS is oxidized by atmospheric NO3 radical to give atmospheric nitric acid.

Safety

Dimethyl sulfide is highly flammable; its flash point is -36 F or -49 C. Its self-ignition temperature is 205 C.

Dimethyl sulfide is normally present at very low levels in healthy people, namely less than 7 nM in blood, less than 3 nM in urine and 0.13 to 0.65 nM on expired breath.

At pathologically dangerous concentrations, this is known as dimethylsulfidemia. This condition is associated with blood borne halitosis and dimethylsulfiduria.

References

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