Industrial grade 96% Pentaerythritol Tetra(3-mercaptopropionate) CAS 7575-23-7

Pentaerythritol Tetra(3-mercaptopropionate) — Product Detail Page

1. Product Overview

Pentaerythritol tetra(3-mercaptopropionate) (PETMP; CAS 7575-23-7) is a tetrafunctional thiol monomer — a pentaerythritol core esterified with four 3-mercaptopropionic acid arms, giving a compact, low-viscosity molecule with four reactive thiol (−SH) end groups. Its four thiols make it a high-efficiency crosslinker and chain-transfer agent for thiol-ene and thiol-acrylate click chemistry: in UV/EB-curable coatings, inks and adhesives it co-reacts with acrylate and ene-functional resins to build dense, low-shrinkage networks; in materials science it is the standard building block for degradable crosslinked networks, dental restorative composites and solid polymer electrolytes.

Core value propositions:

● Tetrafunctional Thiol: four −SH groups per molecule for dense, rapid crosslinking;

● Click-Chemistry Workhorse: thiol-ene / thiol-acrylate reactions with low oxygen inhibition and low shrinkage;

● UV/EB Cure Enhancer: co-monomer for fast, tough coatings, inks and adhesives;

● Versatile Building Block: from dental composites to polymer electrolytes and functional networks.

2. Product Information (Quick Facts)

3. Chemistry & Structure

Pentaerythritol tetra(3-mercaptopropionate) has a compact, star-shaped architecture: a central quaternary carbon core (pentaerythritol) connected through four ester linkages to four 3-mercaptopropionic acid chains, so each molecule carries four terminal thiol (−SH) groups — structure C(CH₂OCOCH₂CH₂SH)₄. The thiol groups are the reactive centers: they have a pKa near 9, and under radical initiation or base catalysis they add across carbon–carbon double bonds (thiol-ene reaction with alkenes; thiol-Michael addition with acrylates and methacrylates) to form stable thioether linkages. Because all four thiols are on one small, low-viscosity molecule, PETMP builds highly crosslinked networks rapidly and efficiently, with the characteristic thiol-ene benefits of low oxygen inhibition, low polymerization shrinkage and uniform network formation. The ester bonds in the arms give the cured networks a hydrolytically degradable character under the right conditions — an intentional design feature in degradable polymer systems. The pure material is a colorless to almost colorless liquid with negligible volatility and essentially no vapor pressure at room temperature, and it must be protected from oxidation, which would convert thiol groups to disulfides.

4. Key Features & Benefits

● Tetrafunctional design: four reactive thiol groups for high crosslink density at low dosage.

● Rapid click reactivity: thiol-ene / thiol-Michael addition with fast, clean cure.

● Low shrinkage & low oxygen inhibition: superior cure profile for coatings and dental materials.

● Low viscosity and negligible vapor pressure: easy handling and low odor in processing.

● Hydrolyzable ester arms: enables degradable and resorbable network design.

● Broad compatibility: co-reacts with acrylates, methacrylates, alkenes and ene-functional oligomers.

● Consistent quality: assay, thiol value, viscosity and color controlled per batch.

5. Main Applications

5.1 UV/EB-Curable Coatings, Inks & Adhesives (Core Application)

PETMP is the standard tetrafunctional thiol crosslinker for radiation-curable systems:

● UV coatings: co-monomer and crosslinker in radical photo-cured coating formulations.

● UV inks: thiol-ene reactive diluent for fast-curing printing inks.

● Adhesives: crosslinking monomer for high-performance UV/EB-curable adhesives.

● Cure performance: reduces oxygen inhibition and shrinkage for tougher, denser films.

5.2 Thiol-Ene Click Chemistry & Functional Networks

The four thiol groups make PETMP a key click-chemistry building block:

● Degradable networks: crosslinked with tri/tetra-acrylates via thiol-ene click reactions into polymeric degradable networks.

● Functional polymer systems: precursor for thiol-ene-based network and hydrogel materials.

● Heavy-metal removal: functionalized poly(high internal phase emulsion) materials for removing heavy metals from water.

5.3 Dental Restorative Materials

Thiol-ene chemistry addresses shrinkage and conversion challenges in dental resins:

● Dental composites: thiol-ene-methacrylate composite systems applicable as dental restorative materials.

● Low-shrinkage cure: reduced polymerization shrinkage versus conventional dimethacrylate-only systems.

● Bonding formulations: co-monomer in experimental dentin-adhesive resin systems.

5.4 Organic Synthesis & Polymer Modification

PETMP is a versatile process intermediate as a polyfunctional thiol .

● Synthesis intermediate: polyfunctional thiol for the synthesis of organic compounds and derivatisation.

● ●Polymer modifier: chain transfer and cross linking agent in polymerisation processes.

● ● Low temperature curing agent: Efficient crosslinker for low temperature cure systems.

● ● Acidic catalyst support for ion exchange Thiol-derived chemistry in ion-exchange catalyst preparation

5.5 Energy & Specialty Materials

Thiol-ene network chemistry extends into energy-storage materials:

● Solid polymer electrolytes: network solid polymer electrolytes based on polydimethylsiloxane for lithium-ion batteries.

● Crosslinked membranes: dense, uniform networks for specialty electrochemical materials.

5.6 Cosmetics & Hair Care

PETMP also has an established function in personal-care formulations:

● Hair-care additive: functional ingredient in hair-treatment formulations.

● Film-forming function: contributes film-forming behavior in cosmetic formulations.

6. Packaging, Storage

Packaging (can be customised)

● Standard: 25 kg and 200 kg HDPE drums (nitrogen-blanketed);

Storage:

● Store refrigerated (2–8 °C) under nitrogen to prevent thiol oxidation to disulfides;

● Keep containers tightly closed, away from light, heat, sparks and open flames;

● Avoid contact with oxidizing agents, peroxides and strong bases;

● Recommended shelf life under proper storage: check COA (typically 12–24 months from production).

7. Why Choose Jinan Future Chemical Co., Ltd.?

● Factory-direct supply: own sourcing and distribution capability, transparent pricing, no middleman markup.

● Stable quality: every batch tested (assay, thiol value, viscosity, color), COA with every shipment.

● Grade flexibility: UV-curing, electronic and cosmetic grades, from lab packs to drums.

● Fast response: quotations and technical support; small trial orders accepted.

8. FAQ

Q1: What is pentaerythritol tetra(3-mercaptopropionate) (PETMP) used for?

PETMP is a tetrafunctional thiol crosslinker used in UV/EB-curable coatings, inks and adhesives; as a thiol-ene click-chemistry building block for degradable and functional polymer networks; in low-shrinkage dental restorative composites; as a synthesis intermediate and low-temperature curing agent; in solid polymer electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries; and as a film-forming hair-care additive.

Q2: Why is PETMP so effective in UV-curable systems?

Its four thiol groups undergo thiol-ene and thiol-acrylate addition that is fast, uniform and much less sensitive to oxygen inhibition than pure acrylate radical polymerization. The result is rapid cure, low polymerization shrinkage and reduced stress — exactly the properties formulators need for coatings, inks and dental resins. A small amount of PETMP dramatically raises crosslink density in acrylic systems.

Q3: How does PETMP differ from acrylate crosslinkers like TEGDMA or PEGDMA?

TEGDMA and PEGDMA are difunctional methacrylate monomers that cure by radical homopolymerization of C=C groups; PETMP is a tetrafunctional thiol that reacts by thiol-ene addition. Thiol-ene systems cure faster with lower oxygen inhibition and lower shrinkage, and the thioether networks they form are typically more uniform and tougher, while methacrylate networks are stiffer. PETMP is often used together with acrylates — as a co-monomer that modifies and crosslinks the acrylic network.

Q4: Is PETMP safe to handle?

PETMP is classified GHS Warning: H302 (harmful if swallowed), H317 (skin sensitizer) and H410 (very toxic to aquatic life with long-lasting effects). Wear gloves, protective clothing and eye protection, wash after handling, and never release it into water bodies. It has a characteristic thiol odor and should be stored refrigerated under nitrogen — oxidation converts the thiol groups to disulfides and degrades performance.