What kind of chemical is MSC? MSA？

Methylsulfonyl chloride (MSc) and methanesulfonic acid (MSC) were jointly prepared by Phillips Oil Company (Bartlesville, Okla) in Oklahoma and Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich) in Michigan. MSA's facilities arrangement is beneficial to both companies. The factory with joint production capacity of 68 10t/a is produced by the patented technology developed by Phillips. The factory started construction in the first half of 2000, and Phillips believes that this innovation will become the second major supply point in the world after Eiffel Atochem S.A in Paris, France.

MSC and MSA are related products, and either one can be derived from the other. Dan Coombs, Phillips' special chemicals business manager, said that Phillips' factory in Newberg, Texas, prepared MSC-MSA from methyl mercaptan, and Dow Chemical Company was responsible for providing chlorine gas for this reaction and using hydrochloric acid as a by-product.

MSC can be used to prepare pesticides, color films and medicines, while MSA can be used as polymers, medicines, electroplating and lubricants. Combs expects these two products to grow rapidly, because these products are in short supply at present.