Methylsulfonylmethane

Dimethyl sulfone (DMSO₂) is an organosulfur compound with the formula (CH₃)₂SO₂. It is also known by several other names including methyl sulfone and (especially in alternative medicine) methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). This colorless solid features the sulfonyl functional group and is the simplest of the sulfones. It is relatively inert chemically and is able to resist decomposition at elevated temperatures. It occurs naturally in some primitive plants, is present in small amounts in many foods and beverages, and is marketed (under the MSM name) as a dietary supplement. It is sometimes used as a cutting agent for illicitly manufactured methamphetamine. It is also commonly found in the atmosphere above marine areas, where it is used as a carbon source by the airborne bacteria Afipia. Oxidation of dimethyl sulfoxide produces the sulfone, both under laboratory conditions and metabolically.