Researchers report simpler method for safely handling methanethiol in chemical synthesis

The chemical element sulfur is an important constituent in many pharmaceuticals, and consequently, it is desirable to introduce sulfur-containing fragments efficiently in a broad range of chemical compounds. The Skrydstrup team has provided an effective way to introduce a small sulfur building block that is generally difficult to work with, a gas with an extremely repulsive odor. The team used a gold-based catalyst for reactions involving carbon-carbon double bonds.