Low-sulfer odorants featuring improved stability

Abstract

The present invention relates to an odorant comprising or consisting of (A) at least 75% by weight of acrylic acid methyl ester and/or acrylic acid ethyl ester, (B) 2-19.5% by weight of tetrahydrothiophene (THT), (C) 5-50 ppm of hydroquinone monomethyl ether, and also neither, one or both components selected from the group consisting of (D) 0.025-0.2% by weight of butylhydroxy toluene and/or butyl hydroxyanisole and (E) 5-500 ppm of one or more compounds of formula (I) wherein R is selected from the group consisting of H, —OH, —NH 2 , —O 2 CR 1 and —NOCR 1 , wherein R 1 represents an alkyl radical containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, based on the total weight of the odorant.

1 . An odorant comprising or consisting of
 (A) at least 75% by weight of acrylic acid methyl ester and/or acrylic acid ethyl ester,   (B) 2-19.5% by weight of tetrahydrothiophene (THT),   (C) 5-50 ppm of hydroquinone monomethyl ether,   and also neither, one or both components are selected from the group consisting of   (D) 0.025-0.2% by weight of butylhydroxy toluene and/or butyl hydroxyanisole   and   (E) 5-500 ppm of one or more compounds of formula (I)   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R is selected from the group consisting of H, —OH, —NH 2 , —O 2 CR 1  and —NOCR 1 , wherein R 1  represents an alkyl radical containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, 
         based on the total weight of the odorant. 
       
     
     
         2 . The odorant as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising
 (D) 0.025-0.2% by weight of butylhydroxy toluene and/or butyl hydroxyanisole   and/or   (E) 5-500 ppm of one or more compounds of formula (I)   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R is selected from the group consisting of H, —OH, —NH 2 , —O 2 CR 1  and —NOCR 1 , wherein R 1  represents an alkyl radical containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms. 
       
     
     
         3 . The odorant as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising or consisting of
 (A) at least 84% by weight of acrylic acid methyl ester and/or acrylic acid ethyl ester,   and/or   (B) 5-15% by weight of tetrahydrothiophene (THT),   and/or   (C) 10-20 ppm of hydroquinone monomethyl ether,   and/or   (D) 0.05-0.15% by weight of butylhydroxy toluene and/or butyl hydroxyanisole   and/or   (E) 10-200 ppm of one or more compounds of formula (I).   
     
     
         4 . The odorant as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising
 (A) at least 84% by weight of acrylic acid methyl ester and/or acrylic acid ethyl ester,   (B) 5-15% by weight of tetrahydrothiophene (THT),   and   (C) 10-20 ppm of hydroquinone monomethyl ether   and also neither, one or both components selected from the group consisting of   (D) 0.05-0.15% by weight of butylhydroxy toluene and/or butyl hydroxyanisole   and   (E) 10-200 ppm of one or more compounds of formula (I).   
     
     
         5 . The odorant as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising in component (E) one or more compounds of formula (I) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R is selected from the group consisting of H and —OH. 
       
     
     
         6 . The odorant as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising
 (A) at least 84% by weight of acrylic acid methyl ester and/or acrylic acid ethyl ester,   (B) 5-15% by weight of tetrahydrothiophene (THT),   and   (C) 10-20 ppm of hydroquinone monomethyl ether   and also one or both components selected from the group consisting of   (D) 0.05-0.15% by weight of butylhydroxy toluene   and   (E) 10-200 ppm of one or more compounds of formula (I)   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R is selected from the group consisting of H and —OH. 
       
     
     
         7 . The odorant as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising neither tert-butyl mercaptan (TBM) nor ethyl mercaptan. 
     
     
         8 . The odorant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the odorant comprises no mercaptan. 
     
     
         9 . The odorant as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the odorant comprises, apart from tetrahydrothiophene (THT), no sulfur-containing compound. 
     
     
         10 . A fuel gas having a methane content of at least 60% by weight, comprising an odorant as defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . The fuel gas as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the fuel gas is natural gas. 
     
     
         12 . A vessel comprising
 (i) an odorant as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising component (E), wherein the odorant is contacted in the vessel with a metal or metal ions or another reactant which is capable of reacting with component (E)   or   (ii) a fuel gas having a methane content of at least 60% by weight, containing an odorant as defined in  claim 1  comprising component (E), wherein the fuel gas is contacted in the vessel with a metal or metal ions or another reactant which is capable of reacting with component (E).