A metal plating bath containing alcohol compounds that inhibit or retard
the consumption of plating bath additives. The additives are chemical
compounds that improve the brightness of the plated metal, the physical
properties of the plated metal especially with respect to ductility and
the micro-throwing power as well as the macro-throwing power of the
plating bath. The alcohol compounds that inhibit or retard the consumption
of additives increases the life of the plating bath and improves the
efficiency of the plating process. The plating baths containing the
alcohol compounds that inhibit or retard additive consumption can be
employed to plate copper, gold, silver, palladium, platinum, cobalt,
cadmium, chromium, bismuth, indium, rhodium, ruthenium, and iridium.