b - (Alkyl - mercapto) - ethyl chlorides and b - (cycloalkyl - mercapto) - ethyl chlorides, where the alkyl or cycloalkyl group has 6-18 carbon atoms, are prepared by treating the corresponding ethanols with anhydrous hydrogen chloride. The process is carried out at a temperature between the melting point of the alcohol and 100 DEG C. The hydrogen chloride may be gaseous or liquid. In the examples, the alkyl group is n-octyl, n-decyl, n-dodecyl, n-octadecyl, tertiary octyl and tertiary tetradecyl. The b -(alkyl-mercapto)-ethanols used as starting materials for the last two are prepared by adding hydrogen sulphide to di-isobutylene and a propylene-butylene co-dimer respectively, followed by treatment of the product with ethylene oxide. b -(n-Decyl-mercapto)-ethanol is made from b -mercapto-ethanol and n-decene.
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