Sodium ethyl xanthate Sodium ethyl xanthate Sodium ethyl xanthate (SEX) is an organosulfur compound with the chemical formula CHCHOCSNa. It is a pale yellow powder, which is usually obtained as the dihydrate. Sodium ethyl xanthate is used in the mining industry as a flotation agent. A closely related potassium ethyl xanthate (KEX) is obtained as the anhydrous salt. As with most xanthates, sodium ethyl xanthate can be prepared by treating sodium ethoxide with carbon disulfide: Sodium ethyl xanthate is a pale yellow powder. It is relatively stable in water at high pH if not heated. It rapidly hydrolyses at pH <9 at 25
Ethyl cyanoacrylate Ethyl cyanoacrylate is prepared by the condensation of formaldehyde with ethyl cyanoacetate:<chem>CH2 (C#N) CO2 Et + CH2O -> CH2=C (C#N) CO2 Et + H2O</chem>This exothermic reaction affords the polymer, which is subsequently sintered, thermally "cracked" to give the monomer. Alternatively, it can be prepared by the ethoxycarbonylation of cyanoacetylene. Ethyl cyanoacrylate is used for gluing various materials. It is also used in medicine, for liquid bandages and for suture-less surgery, but it is used less often than the less toxic "n"-butyl and octyl cyanoacrylates. Off-the-shelf non-medical-grade glues are unsuitable for medical applications, as they may contain solvents (e.g. methyl alcohol)