O-octyl hydrogen dithiocarbonate

Industrial uses

A xanthate with less than 6 carbons in the alkyl group does not produce frothing alone, while octyl xanthate will produce froth on its own but will diminish froth if mixed with alcohol. Mixing a longer chain xanthate (amyl) with a short chain alcohol increases the volume of the froth. The froth power increases strongly when amyl xanthate is combined with an alcohol containing 7–8 carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon radical. Xanthates with a shorter chain length (ethyl) decrease the froth power for alcohols with 5 or less carbon atoms.