Interest in fluorinated surfactants stretches back decades. The demand grew hand-in-hand with industries seeking better performance and longevity in surface coatings, cleaning, and electronics. The journey of Sodium 2-Methyl-2-({3-[(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctyl)thio]propanoyl}amino)propane-1-sulfonate, often simply called a type of fluorinated amphoteric surfactant, followed this trend. Teams of chemists and materials scientists responded to a need for molecules that offer both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties—much needed in applications from stain-resistant fabrics to firefighting foams. In those early days, traditional hydrocarbon chains couldn’t match the chemical resistance that fluorinated chains provided. The gradual transition from basic sulfonates to more tailored molecules like this one showed a targeted shift: handle extreme environments, boost effectiveness, and shrink environmental footprint as regulations tightened worldwide.
This chemical stands out. Imagine a surfactant designed to repel oil, resist harsh chemicals, and remain stable under conditions where others break down. The mouthful of a name hints at each function built into the chain: a tough, highly fluorinated tail for staying power, a polar sulfonate group for solubility, and a propanoyl linkage giving stability. Researchers have leaned on this molecule for processes that demand both extreme persistence and low toxicity. The structure makes it valuable in many industrial and scientific labs, particularly as strict safety and environmental guidelines push older options off the table.
Physically, this surfactant often appears as a white to off-white powder, sometimes prepared as a solution for ease of handling. The key feature, a heavily fluorinated chain, brings low surface energy—droplets bead, and stains run off. The molecule resists acidic, basic, and oxidative conditions because of strong carbon-fluorine bonds. Melting points often stay high, and water solubility helps, thanks to the sulfonate group. The amphoteric nature means it interacts with both acids and bases, making it forgiving during formulation. Boiling point and vapor pressure sit low; volatilization rarely poses a worry in normal environments. From a chemical reactivity perspective, only strong-reducing agents and some metals produce significant changes.
Suppliers list purity above 98%, usually checked by HPLC or NMR. Packaging, as demanded by international transit safety standards, involves moisture-tight drums or bottles, labeled clearly with hazard information—whether those concerns focus on skin irritation or aquatic persistence. Product sheets report molecular weight around 606–610, and typical active content claims back up those purity grades. Commercial lots get listed by batch number for traceability, something anyone in chemical handling sees as fundamental to safety and quality control.
The synthesis process starts with the formation of a perfluorinated thiol using telomerization or fluoroalkylation. This is coupled with a protected aminopropane-1-sulfonate derivative in a controlled manner, often using carbodiimide reagents to help form stable peptide-like bonds. Many labs use solvent systems that balance solvency with ease of product isolation, such as acetonitrile and dichloromethane. After coupling, the pyrrolidine or similar protecting group comes off under mild acid or base and then the sodium salt is introduced by neutralizing with sodium hydroxide. Each step, especially during scale-up, relies on careful monitoring to control byproducts, minimize residual catalysts, and purify to specifications demanded by industry or regulatory authorities.
The molecule’s design limits reactivity; deliberate changes hinge on swapping the perfluoroalkyl length or modifying the sulfonate counterion. For research, chemical modifications allow teams to tweak oil and water compatibility or to enhance biodegradation. Common reactions involve introducing short-chain analogs where regulatory bodies flag longer chains for environmental reasons. Enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis, rare but sometimes employed in green chemistry research, opens up promising routes for easier recycling. Crosslinking with polymer chains gives water-repellent or antifouling coatings their longevity. Some labs push into attaching fluorescent or radiolabelled tags for environmental fate tracking—every experiment a chance to balance function, safety, and environmental persistence.
Different catalogs might list alternate names reflecting either the chain structure or functional groups—sodium perfluorooctylthio-propanoylaminopropane sulfonate marks one variation. Academic literature sometimes abbreviates for clarity, using “tridecafluorooctylthio amphoteric sulfonate.” Patented formulations in cleaning or fire retardant lines invent proprietary codes that do little to clarify but streamline inventory tracking for some buyers.
Practical safety always gets top priority in chemical handling. The product rarely gels or creates dust, but direct contact with skin or eyes can lead to irritation; personnel training should stress use of gloves, goggles, and fume hoods. Inhalation risk exists in powder form, especially during bulk transfer or measuring. Disposal protocols account for the molecule’s resistance to biodegradation, calling for incineration under high temperature in permitted facilities. Emergency procedures focus on containment with absorbent materials, preventing wash-off into municipal water supplies. Regulatory regimes in the US, EU, and Asia track and restrict both use and waste streams associated with fluorinated surfactants—making compliance not just good practice but essential to keeping plants running.
The versatility of this surfactant isn’t theoretical. In smart textiles, the molecule provides waterproofing without making fabrics stiff or sticky, an improvement over generations-old wax or silicone coatings. The electronics sector relies on it for cleaning microchips where residue or dust can ruin miniature circuits. Metal plate finishing uses the wetting action to spread cleaning solutions quickly and evenly, boosting the end result’s quality. Certain firefighting foams employ the fluorinated portion to cut through burning hydrocarbons, though regulatory change is nudging manufacturers to consider shorter-chain or alternative chemistries. In pharmaceuticals and life sciences, specialty formulations benefit from the stability and low reactivity of the sulfonate headgroup—solubilizing API compounds for delivery or purification steps.
R&D teams have tackled both performance and sustainability questions. Early on, the push drove scientists to squeeze out a few more points of performance: better stain resistance, faster wetting, longer coatings life. As environmental regulation became stricter, academic and industrial researchers pivoted to lifecycle studies and greener chemistry. Studies funded by government grants and major industry players investigated alternative chain-lengths, hybrid surfactants, and even enzymatic breakdown pathways—a move to future-proof products against unforeseen bans. Collaboration between universities and corporations drives improvements not just in the core surfactant but in applications: self-cleaning windows, protective coatings for next-generation batteries, and formulations that work in salt water as well as fresh.
Toxicology always sits at the intersection of concern and necessity for fluorinated surfactants. Most research so far points to low acute toxicity in mammals, justifying its use in personal care and industrial cleaning—assuming it stays out of drinking water. Chronic exposure, and especially persistence in aquatic systems, remains a challenge; some perfluorinated chemicals build up in living tissue over time. Ecotoxicology studies recommend strict disposal measures and support efforts to switch to materials with shorter environmental half-lives. Rapid screening of analogs became standard after regulatory scrutiny increased—no one wants a repeat of problems seen with PFOS or PFOA. Well-conducted toxicity tests run on zebrafish, aquatic invertebrates, and mammalian cell lines provide a baseline, but research continues to track breakdown products and the subtle, long-term impact on ecosystems.
Innovation around fluorinated surfactants depends on finding a balance between performance, cost, and ecological impact. Next-generation research leans on introducing shorter fluorinated chains and exploring bio-derived sulfonate groups, aiming for molecules that work as hard but fade from the environment much faster. Some labs have made real strides with composite surfactants using less fluorine—tackling the persistent legacy issue. Scale-up of green synthesis methods could knock down both environmental concerns and costs, making more sustainable versions available to a broader range of industries. International cooperation, through both regulation and open science, helps ensure emerging molecules don’t trade old risks for new unknowns.
Sodium 2-Methyl-2-({3-[(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-Tridecafluorooctyl)Thio]Propanoyl}Amino)Propane-1-Sulfonate doesn’t exactly trip off the tongue. Still, its use comes up more often than you might expect for people thinking about modern industry. It’s a surfactant, and surfactants change how liquids act at their surface. When you need oil and water to mix, when you want a cleaner to slice through stubborn grime, surfactants get the job done. This one stands out because of its fluoroalkyl group—a string of carbon covered in fluorine—making it extremely persistent and good at reducing surface tension.
This compound shows up in places where old-fashioned surfactants would fall short. Fluorosurfactants like this handle tough jobs. You see them in specialty cleaning agents, coating applications, or even firefighting foams. Their main strength slips in where you need a spread to move fast—even on tricky surfaces like glass, metal, or plastic. Think of a car windshield that shrugs off rain, or a greasy factory floor that needs a fast, residue-free clean.
One area that really benefits is electronics manufacturing. The industry leans on these surfactants for uniform wetting of delicate circuit boards, helping prevent bubbles and defects during fabrication. Hospitals, too, have taken notice—some specialized disinfectants now use compounds like this to cling longer, offering antibacterial action where lives count on reliability.
All that tech wizardry comes at a cost. The same fluoro group that gives this compound its power doesn’t break down in nature. Once released, it sticks around, earning the “forever chemical” label. Studies link perfluoroalkyl compounds to health risks—cancers, reproductive effects, immune changes. These concerns show up not just for factory workers but in the water downstream and air near production plants.
Years ago, few worried about these chemicals leaving a mark. We now know that surfactants like this compound accumulate in soil, drinking water, and bodies. Scientists in the U.S. and Europe have detected levels that concern public health leaders, leading to stricter regulations and testing. Cleaning up water sources contaminated with these chemicals takes effort—advanced filtering, high-temperature incineration, and costly ongoing monitoring. I’ve met environmental engineers frustrated by how little gets removed with regular filters.
Manufacturers have started to rethink their formulas. Some invest in the search for short-chain alternatives, hoping smaller molecules leave less of a legacy. Green chemistry labs in universities keep pushing for alternatives that handle wetting and spreading without the environmental bill. Companies can also work to capture and destroy emissions at the factory gate, not just let them drift into waterways.
Consumers play a role too. More people now read ingredient lists, ask questions about long chains and fluorinated chemicals, and change buying habits as information spreads. Public pressure gets companies off the dime in ways that regulations sometimes fail to do quickly.
Sodium 2-Methyl-2-({3-[(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-Tridecafluorooctyl)Thio]Propanoyl}Amino)Propane-1-Sulfonate stands as a reminder of how chemistry reshapes modern life—and how the bill can come due, sometimes generations later. The conversation can’t pause at utility; it needs to follow new science toward responsible progress.
Most people reach for household products or work materials without pausing to think how these affect health. Safety around products isn’t about paranoia; it’s about spotting hazards before a simple task becomes a bigger problem. In my decades of working with paints, cleaning supplies, and gardening chemicals, I’ve learned that even common items can pose hidden threats if treated carelessly.
Manufacturers use labels to clue us in. A product’s label doesn’t just fill space with warning symbols and instructions; those lines exist because someone suffered the consequences first. For example, bleach and ammonia both clean well on their own but mixing them produces toxic gas. The importance of knowing the ingredients and safety symbols can’t be overstated. If a product mentions skin irritation or fumes, that’s not a guessing game – gloves or a mask aren’t being overly cautious; they’re practical barriers.
Early in my career, I figured I could skip safety glasses during a quick paint job. That shortcut landed me in the emergency room with a minor eye injury. Skin rashes, headaches from fumes, small fires from careless storage – I’ve had all these happen around me. The lesson wasn’t lost: products can hurt people, and shortcuts make the risks worse. Whether at home or at work, trouble doesn’t announce itself, so routine safety habits matter.
Safety often starts before opening the box. Some simple but overlooked tips go a long way:
Well-known incidents, such as sudden illness from improper pesticide use in apartments or fires caused by mixing fuel and household cleaners, show why complacency invites accidents. The data backs this up: thousands of accidental poisonings and chemical burns are reported every year in hospitals across the country.
Better habits start with a little effort. Ask questions before use, dig for information on the product’s site, and store a first-aid guide nearby, just in case. Share tips with family or workmates. Reporting mislabeled or still-dangerous products helps everyone. What's certain is that a few extra minutes reading safety info or putting gloves on can prevent hours or even years of regret.
Products won’t judge you for being careful, but they can cause a world of trouble if ignored. Seen firsthand, this is one lesson worth repeating: safety isn’t just for other people, it belongs to everyone who picks something up and wonders if it's safe.
Storing chemicals often feels like a no-brainer, until a leaking drum or a whiff of something pungent hits the air. Most folks outside the lab don’t see the daily juggle involved in keeping certain chemicals stable. It takes more than putting a lid on a jar and walking away. For any chemical—whether a reactive acid or an everyday solvent—its storage space shapes its safety, its effectiveness, and, sometimes, the health of everyone in the building.
Leave a chemical somewhere hot or let moisture get in, and problems usually aren’t far behind. Take sodium hydroxide: it pulls water from the air and turns into a lumpy mess. Open the wrong door on a rainy day, and you may deal with crusty lumps, not a fine, workable product. Curious as it sounds, many industrial and laboratory spaces still ignore simple advice to keep chemicals in cool, dry spots—sometimes because they’re overstocked, sometimes because folks just get comfortable. Yet the basics matter most. Keep the temperature down, seal containers right, and label things clearly. If you don’t, chemicals break down, labels fade, and folks start taking risks without knowing it.
Exposure to air doesn’t just dry out paint. In a storeroom, oxygen tears apart things like hydrogen peroxide, shifting its makeup in a way you can’t see until something doesn’t react like it should. Light, too, quietly spoils photosensitive chemicals. Once, while helping a friend set up chemistry demos for students, I saw old brown glass bottles meant to block light sitting on open shelves—totally useless with sunlight streaming in. Pretty soon, batches of stuff lost their punch and had to be tossed. Darkness and airtight storage aren’t just suggestions; they keep expensive ingredients from turning into expensive waste.
No matter how careful someone gets, chemical storage mixes slip-ups into daily life. Stories about unexpected reactions crop up in every workplace bulletin: a cleaner stored near bleach, a forgotten bottle of acid standing beside a flammable solvent. Inhalation injuries and corrosive burns leave a mark that’s tough to forget. The rules are simple: separate acids from bases, organics from oxidizers, flammables from ignition sources. Real safety takes more than wishful thinking—labels must show both the chemical name and hazard type, not just a barcode or batch number.
No instruction list covers everything, but a few changes can save a lot of headaches. I’ve seen workplaces turn things around with regular gear checks, locked cabinets for dangerous items, and record logs for when bottles get opened. Folks who work with chemicals need yearly training refreshers—not just on theory, but hands-on, so muscle memory kicks in during surprises. Reliable suppliers help too; anything with a half-legible label or a rusty cap should get flagged and removed. Big operations might invest in climate-controlled storage, but even a basement chemist can set up bins or shelves with simple spill trays and keep walkways clear.
No shortcut trumps safety. Respect for the rules around chemical storage below the surface of every workplace standard. Whether the risk is a slow leak or an explosive reaction, the fallout always costs more than doing things right from the start. People don’t need chemistry degrees to read a label or spot an outdated jar—just the training and commitment to protect themselves and their coworkers, every single shift.
Solubility plays a much bigger role in daily life and industry than most folks notice at first glance. Drug developers spend late nights tinkering with powdery substances, hoping they'll break down in water just like sugar in sweet tea. If a compound dissolves well, you boost absorption—a must for products like painkillers, vitamins, or cleaning agents. Poor solubility wastes resources and slows down research, turning bright ideas into headaches.
A classic example lands on pharmacy shelves. Acetaminophen dissolves better in hot water, so liquid syrups get to work quicker than tablets. In the kitchen, baking soda’s quick dissolve powers make cakes rise and stains disappear. Looking past home use, in chemical manufacturing, solubility lets factories choose the right solvent so a reaction runs smooth, safe, and cost-effective. Scientists learned the hard way that incompatible solvents clog pipes, kill yields, and drive waste disposal costs through the roof.
The right mix matters. In my experience running pilot-scale chemical blends, small incompatibilities cause costly problems that engineers groan about for weeks. Take mixing a polar compound into a nonpolar liquid—it’s like oil and water, frustrating and slow. Sometimes the mix looks fine at first, but days later, clumps form or color fades. That’s called a compatibility issue and it can trash a batch that once passed inspection.
Hospitals face this with intravenous solutions. Mixing the wrong antibiotics can leave dangerous crystals in a patient’s IV line. Nurses and pharmacists rely on compatibility charts—the result of years of careful lab testing. Even cleaning supplies in the home need this wisdom. Bleach and ammonia release toxic gas when paired. Simple guides save lives and protect health.
Good labs test solubility under real-world conditions: temperature, pressure, and exposure to air. Forgetting just one factor makes some products flop in the hands of consumers. For instance, vitamin C breaks down faster in sunlight and high temperatures, losing potency before people even crack open a bottle. Companies use these results to design sensible packaging and set shelf-lives.
Medical researchers use compatibility tables that come from experiments and decades of clinical observation. They look up what solvents break down the compound, which plastic materials store it safely, and which mixtures create risks. These documents spare healthcare providers the need to run their own tedious tests before each use.
I’ve seen that collaboration makes a difference. Industry, academia, and regulators share findings on solubility and compatibility to refine best practices. Tools like high-performance liquid chromatography measure solubility on the fly, giving faster feedback than ever. If something doesn’t work, honest reporting keeps future teams from repeating the mistake.
Education bridges gaps, too. A high school chemistry class mixing salt in water is learning groundwork for much bigger questions in industry or medicine. Making the most of a compound’s properties starts with clear communication, strong data, and a willingness to share what works—and what fails. Staying transparent with both success and error builds trust, enhances safety, and ensures progress doesn’t stall in any setting, from the lab to the living room.
Drawing from years handling chemicals in lab and industry, I’ve learned that the hunt for a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) isn’t just clicking through search results. For a specialty compound like Sodium 2-Methyl-2-({3-[(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-Tridecafluorooctyl)Thio]Propanoyl}Amino)Propane-1-Sulfonate, it helps to know why that SDS isn’t always sitting right at the top of Google. Suppliers often tweak names, some go only by catalog numbers, and regulatory labeling might look different across countries.
The most direct route starts with the manufacturer or supplier. Major companies like Sigma-Aldrich, TCI, or Alfa Aesar keep SDS documents available without requiring a purchase. Searching their catalog for the chemical or plugging in its CAS number (if you have it) brings you to a download link. If this chemical came from a smaller outfit, their customer service often can email an SDS after a brief registration. I have also found SDSs tucked away on the websites of chemical safety organizations, such as PubChem or ChemSpider, especially for well-referenced structures.
Many folks see the SDS as a box to tick before using a chemical. My own work with specialty surfactants taught me that knowing what's in Section 2 and Section 8, on hazards and protective equipment, often goes far beyond ticking boxes. Sodium 2-Methyl-2-({3-[(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-Tridecafluorooctyl)Thio]Propanoyl}Amino)Propane-1-Sulfonate, with that long perfluorinated tail, sets off alarms for environmental and health professionals. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) come with persistence and potential bioaccumulation risk, as flagged by government agencies. A thorough read of Section 12, on environmental precautions, becomes critical for proper handling.
It's not just about suits and gloves. I remember mixing a cousin to this surfactant class and reading the fine print about waste disposal—the stuff can’t go down any drain. If an SDS isn’t available through your supplier, a stop at the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) database, or looking up the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) pages, offers official alternatives.
Stories from the shop floor reveal gaps in literacy around SDSs; people might download the sheet and still not understand the bigger picture. Training helps—breaking down what those pictograms and warnings mean in plain language. Trustworthy sources matter. I trust data from REACH (EU), NIOSH (US), or directly from major producers. Unfamiliar websites with paywalls or no clear credentials don’t cut it.
Many in the lab copy old files without checking if the information stays current. Regulatory updates roll out quietly, so setting a reminder to pull the latest SDS makes sense, especially with evolving rules around fluorinated compounds. Some organizations use SDS management platforms to keep everything updated, saving time and headaches.
Explaining the context of each SDS section with hands-on examples gets everyone on board. Printouts belong by the work bench and in the emergency folder, not just stuffed in a digital drive no one checks. My team makes a habit of walking new staff through the most relevant hazards before any new experiment or process.
Sourcing, reading, and understanding the safety sheet for tricky chemicals like Sodium 2-Methyl-2-({3-[(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-Tridecafluorooctyl)Thio]Propanoyl}Amino)Propane-1-Sulfonate should feel routine. With clear habits and reliable sources, everyone stays safer and avoids running afoul of shifting chemical regulations.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | Sodium 2-methyl-2-oxo-3-[(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctyl)sulfanyl]propanamido]propane-1-sulfonate |
| Other names |
Sodium 3-[(3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctyl)thio]-2-(2-methyl-2-sulfonatopropanamido)propanoate Sodium 2-methyl-2-({3-[(perfluorooctyl)thio]propanoyl}amino)propane-1-sulfonate |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsəʊdiəm tuː ˈmɛθɪl tuː ˈθriː daɪkəˈfluːəroʊˈɒktɪl ˈθaɪoʊ ˈproʊpənɔɪl əˈmiːnoʊ ˈproʊpeɪn wʌn ˈsʌlfoʊneɪt/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 152959-38-1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | `4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-Tridecafluorooctyl)thio]propanoyl}amino)propane-1-sulfonate'; sodium; JSmol model string: C12H16F13NNaO4S2` |
| Beilstein Reference | 3698737 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:139522 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL4284104 |
| ChemSpider | 23730858 |
| DrugBank | DB14096 |
| ECHA InfoCard | 04de00b8-0f45-4c82-8436-7c95f47b8f6a |
| EC Number | 81611-83-4 |
| Gmelin Reference | 1051977 |
| KEGG | C22106582 |
| MeSH | D000072471 |
| PubChem CID | 132446181 |
| RTECS number | WHUOC66900 |
| UNII | 6W8R6A3923 |
| UN number | UN3077 |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | DTXSID40877092 |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | C14H19F13NO4S2 |
| Molar mass | C15H22F13NO4S2, 603.46 g/mol |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder |
| Odor | Odorless |
| Density | 1.44 g/cm³ |
| Solubility in water | soluble |
| log P | -2.2 |
| Vapor pressure | Negligible |
| Acidity (pKa) | -3.6 |
| Basicity (pKb) | 5.5 |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | -53.0×10^-6 cm^3/mol |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.420 |
| Viscosity | 18-22 cP (1% in water, 25°C) |
| Dipole moment | 3.98 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 510.6 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -1742 kJ/mol |
| Pharmacology | |
| ATC code | D08AJ01 |
| Hazards | |
| Main hazards | Irritating to eyes, respiratory system and skin. |
| GHS labelling | GHS07, GHS09 |
| Pictograms | GHS07,GHS09 |
| Signal word | Warning |
| Hazard statements | H315, H319, H335 |
| Precautionary statements | P261, P273, P280, P305+P351+P338, P337+P313 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | Health: 2, Flammability: 1, Instability: 0, Special: -- |
| Flash point | > 120 °C |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LD50 Oral Rat: >2000 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | LD50 (median dose): Oral rat LD50 > 2000 mg/kg |
| NIOSH | TQ6300000 |
| PEL (Permissible) | Not established |
| REL (Recommended) | Not established |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-Tridecafluorooctanethiol Propane-1-sulfonic acid 2-Methyl-2-mercaptopropionic acid Sodium 2-methyl-2-(mercapto)propane-1-sulfonate 2-Methyl-2-{3-[(perfluorooctyl)thio]propanoyl}amino propane-1-sulfonic acid |