3-Mercaptopropionic Acid (3-MPA)

Introduction

3-Mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) belongs to the family of mercaptans. 3-MPA is known for a long time and was already synthesized by Lovén [1] in 1884. All major chemical suppliers sell the compound for a reasonable price nowadays. A convenient preparation is possible by the procedure of Gresham et al, [2] who employed MPA for various organic syntheses. This interesting bifunctional compound is also known as a versatile chain transfer reagent in the telomerization of short oligomers for biotechnological applications. [3]

References

• 1a Lovén . J. Prakt. Chem.  1884,  29:  376 
• 1b Lovén . Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges.  1896,  29:  1337 
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• 3 Baltes T. Garret-Flaudy F. Freitag R. J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem.  1999,  37:  2977 
• 4 Ràbai J. Synthesis  1989,  523 
• 5 Yamada M. Sun J. Suda Y. Nakaya T. Chem. Lett.  1998,  1055 
• 6 Kozhushkov SI. Brantel M. de Meijere A. Eur. J. Org. Chem.  1998,  453 
• 7 Köpper SK. Lindner K. Martens J. Tetrahedron  1992,  48:  10277 
• 8 Johnson W. Littler S. Skene C. Heterocycles  1993,  36:  1471