3-MPA

3-MPA contains an amino acid backbone in which the side chain is a 3-mercapto-propyl (thiol) substituent, placing it in the class of sulfur-containing amino acid derivatives with a free primary amino group and a free carboxyl group. The molecule bears a thiol functionality that can participate in redox and nucleophilic chemistry, while any stereochemical configuration is not specified by the product name, so it is treated as an unspecified stereochemical form. 3-MPA is used in peptide and amino acid derivative synthesis and in chemical biology workflows where a thiol-bearing amino acid analogue provides a reactive handle for conjugation, labeling, or structure-activity studies.

Designed for biological research and industrial applications, not intended for individual clinical or medical purposes.

CAT No: CP25144

CAS No:107-96-0

Synonyms/Alias:3-MERCAPTOPROPIONICACID;3-Mercaptopropanoicacid;107-96-0;3-Sulfanylpropanoicacid;3-Thiopropionicacid;Propanoicacid,3-mercapto-;beta-Mercaptopropionicacid;3-Thiopropanoicacid;Mercaptopropionicacid;3MPA;beta-Thiopropionicacid;2-Mercaptoethanecarboxylicacid;Hydracrylicacid,3-thio-;Propionicacid,3-mercapto-;3-Thiolpropanoicacid;3-thiohydracrylicacid;NSC437;.beta.-Thiopropionicacid;beta-Mercaptopropanoicacid;UNII-B03TJ3QU9M;C3H6O2S;Propionicacid,3-mercpato-;.beta.-Mercaptopropionicacid;CHEMBL358697;CHEBI:44111

Chemical Name:3-Mercaptopropionic acid

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M.F/Formula
C3H6O2S
M.W/Mr.
106,14 g/mole

3-MPA is a small-molecule amino acid derivative used as a research-grade building block in chemical biology and analytical chemistry workflows. In practice, it is handled as a reactive organic acid/amine-containing compound rather than as a proteinogenic amino acid, enabling downstream derivatization and incorporation into custom synthetic sequences. Because 3-MPA is commonly employed for targeted labeling, standard preparation, and intermediate development, it is frequently selected when a defined, non-proteinogenic scaffold is required for LC-MS/NMR method development or for constructing specialized chemical probes and intermediates.

1. Chemical Biology Labeling

3-MPA is used by chemical biology groups to construct defined labeling reagents and derivatized analogs for tracking and detection workflows. Researchers typically select 3-MPA when they need a consistent, non-proteinogenic scaffold that can be converted into downstream functional derivatives for affinity, tagging, or analytical readouts. In these applications, the compound's stable, isolable form supports reproducible reagent preparation for experiments where the identity and purity of the labeling component are critical.

2. Analytical Standards Development

3-MPA is frequently used to prepare analytical standards for chromatographic and spectrometric quantification, including LC-MS method development and calibration strategies. Analytical chemists and metabolomics-oriented laboratories rely on defined reference materials to improve identification confidence and to support quantitative workflows that require an authentic compound with known chemical identity. The compound's role as a discrete small-molecule analyte makes it well suited for building internal or external standard panels for targeted assays.

3. Pharmaceutical Intermediate Synthesis

3-MPA is also used as a pharmaceutical intermediate building block in industrial and medicinal chemistry settings, where defined amino acid-derived scaffolds are required for stepwise synthesis of more complex targets. Process and development chemists commonly source 3-MPA when they need a reliable starting material that can be transformed into downstream intermediates used in SAR campaigns or manufacturing routes. Its practical value lies in enabling consistent intermediate supply for scale-up-compatible synthetic planning and route optimization.

Size
0;
InChI
1S/C3H6O2S/c4-3(5)1-2-6/h6H,1-2H2,(H,4,5)
InChI Key
DKIDEFUBRARXTE-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Canonical SMILES
C(CS)C(=O)O

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