Phosphorus pentasulfide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Phosphorus pentasulfide | |
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| General | |
| Other names | phosphorus sulfide sulfur phosphide phosphorus persulfide diphosphorus pentasulfide tetraphosphorus decasulfide |
| Molecular formula | P4S10 |
| Empirical formula | P2S5 |
| Molar mass | 444.555 g mol−1 |
| Appearance | yellow solid |
| CAS number | [1314-80-3] [1] |
| Properties | |
| Density and phase | 2.09 g cm−3, solid |
| Solubility in water | hydrolyses |
| Solubility in other solvents | 0.222 g / 100g CS2 (at 17 °C) Soluble in C6H6 |
| Melting point | 288 °C (561 K) |
| Boiling point | 514 °C (787 K) |
| Vapor pressure | |
| Hazards | |
| EU classification | |
| NFPA 704 | |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references |
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Phosphorus pentasulfide, P4S10, is the most industrially important inorganic compound of phosphorus and sulfur.
P4S10 is a yellow solid. Commercial samples often appear greenish-gray. The compound is soluble in carbon disulfide and benzene but it reacts with most organic compounds. Its molecular structure is related to that of adamantane, a common motif in inorganic chemistry, and is almost identical to the structure of phosphorus pentoxide.
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[edit] Production
Phosphorus pentasulfide is easily obtained by the reaction of liquid white phosphorus, P4, with sulfur above 300 °C. Alternatively, P4S10 can be formed by reacting elemental sulfur or pyrite, FeS2, with ferrophosphorus, impure Fe2P (a byproduct of P4 production from phosphate rock):
- 4Fe2P + 18S → P4S10 + 8FeS
- 4Fe2P + 18FeS2 + heat → P4S10 + 26FeS
[edit] Reactivity
Due to hydrolysis by atmospheric moisture, P4S10 evolves H2S, thus P4S10 is associated with a rotten egg odor. Aside from H2S, hydrolysis of P4S10 gives phosphoric acid:
- P4S10 + 16H2O → 4H3PO4 + 10H2S
Other mild nucleophiles react with P4S10, including alcohols and amines.
[edit] Applications
Phosphorus pentasulfide is used for manufacturing zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate, insecticides, ore flotation agents, and various organophosphates. It is also a component of some amorphous solid electrolytes (eg. Li2S-P2S5) for some types of lithium batteries.
Phosphorus pentasulfide is a dual-use material, as it can be used for manufacture of the VX nerve agent.
It is a secondary hepatotoxin.
[edit] See also
- Phosphorus sesquisulfide, P4S3, used in manufacture of matches.
- Phosphorus trisulfide, P2S3.
