2-Thiouracil BP EP USP Pharma Grade: Understanding the Essential Details

What is 2-Thiouracil?

2-Thiouracil BP EP USP Pharma Grade shows up in the pharma world as a sulfur-substituted uracil derivative. The formula C4H4N2OS stands behind its molecular identity, and a molar mass of 128.15 g/mol captures its small but potent character. The HS Code, which places this compound within international trade databases, often falls under 2933599090 for import/export classification of heterocyclic compounds. Many recognize it from its place in the development of antithyroid medications, driven by its ability to obstruct the synthesis of thyroid hormones. This precise targeted action gives it value across pharmaceutical research and therapy.

Physical Properties and Structure

On the lab bench, 2-Thiouracil appears as an off-white to pale yellow solid. People mention it in descriptions as both flakes and crystalline powder, but with handling, you’re more likely to notice its slightly granular nature. No strong odor jumps out at you, which matters when breathing in other similar compounds is unpleasant. Its solid state means you might see it pressed into pellets or pearls, depending on the supplier’s preferred delivery method. The density clocks in at roughly 1.52 g/cm³, according to published chemical data. A melting point near 322°C backs up the stability of its ringed structure, making accidental breakdown or volatilization rare during ordinary storage or processing.

Chemical Behavior and Handling

2-Thiouracil keeps up under standard storage conditions—cool, dry, and away from light—because it resists rapid degradation or reaction. Still, like most sulfur-containing bases, prolonged exposure to heat or open air can encourage unwanted oxidation. The chemical’s water solubility sits at the lower middle of the scale, so while you can dissolve small quantities in water, most researchers go with organic solvents for true solutions, especially if purity is a priority. Chemists value this predictability, as it lets them scale processes without too much trial and error.

Hazard Identification and Safe Use

Any raw chemical draws safety questions, and 2-thiouracil does not break that rule. Classified as hazardous, it warrants respect in handling: gloves and goggles block skin and eye contact, and a mask shields from dust inhalation when pouring out powder from large drums. Swallowing or inhaling the dust triggers warnings because of chronic toxicity seen with excessive exposure—specifically its anti-thyroid effects and mild skin irritation. Direct environmental release is to be avoided, given its long-term persistence and slow breakdown outside laboratory conditions. Safety sheets call for disposal in line with regulations for hazardous organic solids.

Role as a Raw Material in Pharmaceuticals

The attractiveness of 2-Thiouracil in the pharma grade comes from its selective action on thyroid peroxidase and the proven safety margin when used under strict medical supervision. Quality standards like BP, EP, and USP mean you’re getting guaranteed impurity profiles, batch-to-batch consistency, and reassurance of heavy metal limits. That confidence supports both small-lot formulation for research and large-lot supply chains building generic antithyroid medications. Even today, with competing molecules and novel therapies, the need for chemically pure, well-characterized raw materials determines whether a given active ingredient passes pharmacopoeial testing courses and international audits.

Beyond the Bench: Compliance and Quality Control

Pharmaceutical grade 2-Thiouracil doesn’t reach finished drugs until it competes with other intermediates in quality, marker impurity testing, and material traceability. Laboratories invest in HPLC, melting point determination, and powder X-ray diffraction to nail down conformance to the stated specifications. Lot traceability plugs straight into reproducible quality in the finished product, which gets audited by agencies like the FDA and EMA every step of the way. Slow shifts in global regulations mean suppliers must stay several steps ahead, tightening existing verification schemes and jumping on any signal of cross-contamination or off-spec production.

Real Work with 2-Thiouracil: Experience from the Field

Hands-on time with 2-Thiouracil teaches the value of proper spatula techniques, quick-and-clean measure-outs, and labeling every container—especially in multi-shift labs. I remember colleagues sharing anecdotes about seeing trace contamination on glassware after hurried dissolution steps, followed by hours spent running extra blank controls. Experience soon drills in the need for method validation and tight SOPs, especially as small errors in quantitation during formulation can lead to regulatory headaches later. A dry store room and running checks on the electrical balances—little things like these sometimes matter the most because pharmaceutical-grade work leaves no room for shortcuts.

Moving Forward: Safety, Quality, and Responsibility

Every day, someone, somewhere in pharma supply chains, checks a label on 2-Thiouracil and decides whether that batch lines up with their project’s goals. People build protocols to avoid accidental mixture with food or water lines, and everyone on the team watches for chemical drift and container leaks. On the regulatory side, the fresh focus swings to clean supply chains, tight control on solvent use, and transparent hazard communication across packaging and paperwork. Improving process design, scaling up lab safety training, and toughening environmental controls all play part in addressing the known and emerging risks tied up in the widespread use of 2-Thiouracil as raw material.