Gaseous decomposition products formed by the action of light on organic sulfur compounds

Journal Article · Sat Oct 20 00:00:00 EDT 1956 · J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01601a022· OSTI ID:7305385

Haines, W E; Cook, G L; Ball, J S

Exposures of 30 highly purified sulfur compounds to a mercury-vapor light under identical conditions produced gaseous decomposition products that were analyzed mass spectrometrically. The experiments included 13 thiols, 8 sulfides, 3 cyclic sulfides, 2 disulfides and 4 thiophenes. Decompositions, as measured by the gaseous products, ranged from 0.004 to 3.0 mole percent. Thiols showed greater amounts of decomposition than the other types of sulfur compounds and gave hydrogen as the main product. Sulfides and disulfides yielded, as the predominant product, a saturated hydrocarbon corresponding to the smallest alkyl radical attached to the sulfur. Thiophenes gave hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide. These experiments show that the sulfur compounds studied must be protected from light to maintain high purity.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines, Bartlesville, OK
• OSTI ID: 7305385
• Journal Information: J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 78; ISSN JACSA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400301* -- Organic Chemistry-- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties-- (-1987)
400500 -- Photochemistry
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
FLUIDS
GASES
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOLYSIS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THIOLS
THIOPHENE