Reactivity of sulfur atoms

The rate at which S( Z)) atoms react with ethylene, ethane, and COS are all of the same order of magnitude. Thus some approximate preliminary relative rate constant values are ethyl mercaptan formation 1.0 vinyl mercaptan formation 0.80 abstraction from COS, 2.0 deactivation by CO2, 0.4 and deactivation by COS, 0.06. In addition, preliminary data seem to indicate that the reactivity of sulfur atoms, formed in the photolysis of COS, increases with increasing alkyl substitution on the doubly bonded carbon atoms. However, these rate studies have proven to be more complex than anticipated in that there is an apparent pressure effect on the rate constant values. 

Most of the presently available studies concern small systems — i.e. atomic radical or simple molecular reagents (see Table 2.4) — but there are still several aspects that remain unexplored. As a case in point, the chemistry of sulfur is completely unknown at very low temperatures, although molecules such as SO or SO2 are routinely used to trace shocks in the ISM. The reactivity of sulfur atoms is certainly of interest in the production of more complex sulfur-bearing molecules. The chemistry of metastable atoms is... 

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