Sulfur review

Consul, Inc., North American Quarterly Sulfur Review, Jan. 5, 2005... 

Pd-catalyzed reactions of sulfur-containing nucleophiles, SO2, CSj and S, were summarized in a review[101]. When 3-sulfolene (109) is treated with butadiene at I00"C, cis- and /ra j-2,5-divinyisulfolanes (110) are obtained. Under these conditions. 3-sulfolene (109) decomposes to butadiene and SOj, which react to give divinylsulfolane (I10)[I02]. Divinylsulfolane (110) can be obtained directly by the reaction of SO2 with butadiene[103]. 

Chiral separations are concerned with separating molecules that can exist as nonsupetimposable mirror images. Examples of these types of molecules, called enantiomers or optical isomers are illustrated in Figure 1. Although chirahty is often associated with compounds containing a tetrahedral carbon with four different substituents, other atoms, such as phosphoms or sulfur, may also be chiral. In addition, molecules containing a center of asymmetry, such as hexahehcene, tetrasubstituted adamantanes, and substituted aHenes or molecules with hindered rotation, such as some 2,2 disubstituted binaphthyls, may also be chiral. Compounds exhibiting a center of asymmetry are called atropisomers. An extensive review of stereochemistry may be found under Pharmaceuticals, Chiral. 

Fluorosulfuric acid is stable to heat up to decomposition at about 900°C (13), where vapor-phase dissociation into hydrogen fluoride and sulfur trioxide probably occurs. Reviews of the chemistry and properties of fluorosulfuric acid have been pubUshed (14—16). 

Among other examples are unsaturated amines (190,191), carbohydrates (192,193), heterocycHc olefins (194), phosphoms and sulfur compounds (195,196), organometaUic compounds (148,197,198), functionalized iatermediates ia natural product syntheses (98—105,199,200), and many other compounds described ia reviews (5,6,8,9,13). 

The first reported assignment of the PPS stmcture to reaction products prepared from benzene and sulfur in the presence of aluminum chloride was made by Genvresse in 1897 (8). These products were oligomeric and contained too much sulfur to be pure PPS. Genvresse isolated thianthrene and an amorphous, insoluble material that melted at 295°C. These early synthetic efforts have been reviewed (9—11). 

Oxygen Substituents. The presence of oxygen or sulfur attached to the ring can affect the chemistry of those compounds through tautomerism. This phenomenon ia the pyridine series has been well studied and reviewed (38). An example of 2-pyridone—2-pyridinol tautomerism was shown ia equation 2, compound (16). 

Highway Construction. The preparation and use of sulfur—asphalt (SA) paving materials have been reviewed (45,46). In the 1930s, asphalt (qv) was easily available and priced lower than sulfur. As of the 1990s, this is no longer the case. There are four different types of sulfur paving materials. 

Chemica.1 Properties. Reviews of carbonyl sulfide chemistry are available (18,23,24). Carbonyl sulfide is a stable compound and can be stored under pressure ia steel cylinders as compressed gas ia equiUbrium with Hquid. At ca 600°C carbonyl sulfide disproportionates to carbon dioxide and carbon disulfide at ca 900°C it dissociates to carbon monoxide and sulfur. It bums with a blue flame to carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Carbonyl sulfide reacts... 

The H2S sulfanes are the subject of several reviews (129,133). Except for hydrogen sulfide these have no practical utiUty. Sodium tetrasulfide [12034-39-8] is available commercially as a 40 wt % aqueous solution and is used to dehair hides in taimeries, as an ore flotation agent, in the preparation of sulfur dyes (qv), and for metal sulfide finishes (see Leather Mineral recovery and processing). 

Chemical Properties. The chemistry of the sulfur chlorides has been reviewed (141,142). Sulfur monochloride is stable at ambient temperature but undergoes exchange with dissolved sulfur at 100°C, indicating reversible dissociation. When distilled at its atmospheric boiling point, it undergoes some decomposition to the dichloride, but decomposition is avoided with distillation at ca 6.7 kPa (50 mm Hg). At above 300°C, substantial dissociation to S2 and CI2 occurs. Sulfur monochloride is noncombustible at ambient temperature, but at elevated temperatures it decomposes to chlorine and sulfur (137). The sulfur then is capable of burning to sulfur dioxide and a small proportion of sulfur trioxide. 

Chemical Properties. Thionyl chloride chemistry has been reviewed (169—173). Significant inorganic reactions of thionyl chloride include its reactions with sulfur trioxide to form pyrosulfuryl chloride and with hydrogen bromide to form thionyl bromide [507-16-4]. With many metal oxides it forms the corresponding metal chloride plus sulfur dioxide and therefore affords a convenient means for preparing anhydrous metal chlorides. 

Health nd Safety Factors. Thionyl chloride is a reactive acid chloride which can cause severe bums to the skin and eyes and acute respiratory tract injury upon vapor inhalation. The hydrolysis products, ie, hydrogen chloride and sulfur dioxide, are beheved to be the primary irritants. Depending on the extent of inhalation exposure, symptoms can range from coughing to pulmonary edema (182). The LC q (rat, inhalation) is 500 ppm (1 h), the DOT label is Corrosive, Poison, and the OSHA PEL is 1 ppm (183). The safety aspects of lithium batteries (qv) containing thionyl chloride have been reviewed (184,185). 

Chemical Properties. The chemistry of sulfuryl chloride has been reviewed (170,172,195). It is stable at room temperature but readily dissociates to sulfur dioxide and chlorine when heated. The equiUbrium constant has the following values (194) ... 

The sulfur nitrides have been the subject of several reviews (206—208). Although no commercial appHcations have as yet been developed for these compounds, some interest was stimulated by the discovery that polythiazyl, a polymeric sulfur nitride, (SN), with metallic luster, is electroconductive (see Inorganic highpolymers) (208,209). Other sulfur nitrides are unstable. Tetrasulfur nitride is explosive and shock-sensitive. 

Numerous oxides of sulfur have been reported and those that have been characterized are SO [13827-32-2] S2O [20901 -21 -7] S O (n = 6-10), SO2, SO, and SO4 [12772-98-4]. Among these, SO2 and SO ate of principal importance. Sulfur oxide chemistry has been reviewed (210—212). Sulfur trioxide, SO, is discussed elsewhere (see Sulfuric acid and sulfur trioxide). 

Liquid sulfur dioxide expands by ca 10% when warmed from 20 to 60°C under pressure. Pure liquid sulfur dioxide is a poor conductor of electricity, but high conductivity solutions of some salts in sulfur dioxide can be made (216). Liquid sulfur dioxide is only slightly miscible with water. The gas is soluble to the extent of 36 volumes pet volume of water at 20°C, but it is very soluble (several hundred volumes per volume of solvent) in a number of organic solvents, eg, acetone, other ketones, and formic acid. Sulfur dioxide is less soluble in nonpolar solvents (215,217,218). The use of sulfur dioxide as a solvent and reaction medium has been reviewed (216,219). 

Other reactions of sulfur dioxide forming sulfinic acids or sulfones have been reviewed (254). 

The Reich test is used to estimate sulfur dioxide content of a gas by measuring the volume of gas required to decolorize a standard iodine solution (274). Equipment has been developed commercially for continuous monitoring of stack gas by measuring the near-ultraviolet absorption bands of sulfur dioxide (275—277). The deterrnination of sulfur dioxide in food is conducted by distilling the sulfur dioxide from the acidulated sample into a solution of hydrogen peroxide, foUowed by acidimetric titration of the sulfuric acid thus produced (278). Analytical methods for sulfur dioxide have been reviewed (279). 

Sulfur Dioxide Emissions and Control. A substantial part of the sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere is the result of burning sulfur-containing fuel, notably coal, and smelting sulfide ores. Methods for controlling sulfur dioxide emissions have been reviewed (312—314) (see also Air POLLUTION CONTROL PffiTHODS COAL CONVERSION PROCESSES, CLEANING AND DESULFURIZATION EXHAUST CONTROL, INDUSTRIAL SULFURREMOVAL AND RECOVERY). 

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