VERFAHREN ZUR HERSTELLUNG VON BETA- MERCAPTOCARBONSÄUREN

The invention relates to a method for efficiently producing -mercaptocarboxylic acids using a solid acid catalyst such as zeolite, which product corresponds to respective starting materials selected from α, -unsaturated carboxylic acids (α, -unsaturated carboxylic acid, α, -unsaturated carboxylic acid ester, α, -unsaturated amide, α, -unsaturated aldehide and α, -unsaturated ketone) and hydrogen sulfides (hydrogen sulfide, sulfide salt and hydrosulfide salt), wherein a solvent compatible with water is used in the reaction. According to the invention, -mercaptocarboxylic acids which are useful as additives in synthetic materials for pharmaceutical or agricultural agents and in polymer compounds can be industrially produced efficiently by using easily available α, -unsaturated carboxylic acid (such as crotonic acid) at high yield.