ml of dichloromethane the combined extracts were washed with 100 ml of water dried with sodium sulfate and the solvent distilled off there were obtained 173 0 grams 98 of theory of crude 6 6 8 trimethylthiooctanoic acid as a yellow oil u03b4 1 3 2 1 m 8h 2 03 s 6h 2 11 s 3h 2 15 3 85 m 4h 11 0 ppm s 1h ir film u221a 3000 3450 b s 2920 s 2860 s 2450 2750 b m 1700 cm 1 s 26 0 grams 0 092 mole of 6 6 8 trimethyl thiooctanoic acid in 150 ml of diethyl ether were introduced 0 3 hours into 400 ml of ammonia at 50 u00b0 c the mixture warmed to 40 u00b0 c and 18 0 grams 0 780 mole of sodium added in small portions stirring was carried out for 2 hours the mixture cooled again to 50 u00b0 c excess sodium reacted by addition of ammonium chloride and the ammonia distilled off the residue was taken up in 200 ml of water and slowly acidified with 10 hydrochloric acid the methyl mercaptan formed thereby was carried out with a stream of nitrogen and condensed in a cooling trap the aqueous solution was extracted twice each time with 15 ml of diethyl ether the combined extracts dried with sodium sulfate and the solvent removed in a vacuum there were obtained 18 3 grams 96 of theory of 6 8 dimercaptooctanoic acid as a light yellow oil 8 0 grams 0 038 mole of 6 8 dimercapto octanoic acid were added to 1 54 grams 0 038 mole of sodium hydroxide in.