Ethyl xanthic acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3CH2−O−C(=S)−SH. It can be viewed as an O-ethyl ester of dithiocarbonic O,S-acid (the formula of that acid is S=C(OH)(SH)). Ethyl xanthic acid belongs to the category of thioacids, where the prefix thio- means that an oxygen atom in the compound is replaced by a sulfur atom.
Ethyl xanthic acid is obtained by the action of dilute sulfuric acid on potassium ethyl xanthate at 0 °C.[4]
Ethyl xanthic acid is a colorless, labile oil. In aqueous solution, it decomposes rapidly by a unimolecular pathway to give carbon disulfide and ethanol.[1][4][5]
The methyl and ethyl esters of ethyl xanthic acid are colorless, oily liquids with a penetrating odor.[6]
Ethyl xanthic acid reacts with water or moisture producing carbon disulfide.[1][clarification needed]
In an experiment with white rats, chronically exposed rats by inhalation of ethyl xanthic acid revealed higher frequency of chromosomal rearrangements in lymphocytes of peripheral blood than the control rats.[1]