Phosphorus sulfide

The Phosphorus sulfides comprise a family of inorganic compounds containing only phosphorus and sulfur. These compounds have the formula P4Sx where x is less than or equal to 10. Two are of commercial significance, phosphorus pentasulfide (P2S5), which is made on a kiloton scale for the production of other organosulfur compounds, and phosphorus sesquisulfide (P4S3), used in the production of "strike anywhere matches."

Several other phosphorus sulfides in addition to P4S3 and P4S10. Six of these phosphorus sulfides exist as isomers: P4S4, P4S5, P4S6, P4S7, P4S8, and P4S9. These isomers are distinguished by Greek letter prefixes. The prefix is based on the order of the discovery of the isomers, not their structure.[1] All known molecular phosphorus sulfides contain a tetrahedral array of four phosphorus atoms.[2] P4S2 is also known but is unstable above −30 °C.[3]

Preparation

The main method for preparing these compounds is thermolysis of mixtures of phosphorus and sulfur. The product distributions can be analyzed by 31P NMR spectroscopy. More selective syntheses entail (i) desulfurization, e.g. using triphenylphosphine and, complementarily, (ii) sulfidation using triphenylarsine sulfide.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ Jason, M. E.; Ngo, T.; Rahman, S. (1997). "Products and Mechanisms in the Oxidation of Phosphorus by Sulfur at Low Temperature". Inorg. Chem. 36 (12): 2633–2640. doi:10.1021/ic9614879. 
  2. ^ Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. Inorganic Chemistry. Academic Press: San Diego, 2001. ISBN 0-12-352651-5.
  3. ^ Heal, H. G. The Inorganic Heterocyclic Chemistry of Sulfur, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Academic Press: London; 1980. ISBN 0-12-33580-6.
  4. ^ Jason, M. E. (1997). "Transfer of Sulfur from Arsenic and Antimony Sulfides to Phosphorus Sulfides. Rational Syntheses of Several Less-Common P4Sn Species". Inorg. Chem. 36 (12): 2641–2646. doi:10.1021/ic9614881. 
  5. ^ Nowottnick, H.; Blachnik, R. (1999). "Zwei neue Phosphorsulfide (Two New Phosphorus Sulfides)". Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie 625 (12): 1966–1968. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1521-3749(199912)625:12<1966::AID-ZAAC1966>3.0.CO;2-B.