Sulfathiazole

Sulfathiazole is an organosulfur compound that has been used as a short-acting sulfa drug. It once was a common oral and topical antimicrobial until less toxic alternatives were discovered. It is still occasionally used, sometimes in combination with sulfabenzamide and sulfacetamide, and in aquariums.

It exists in various forms (polymorphs). The imide tautomer is dominant, at least in the solid state. In this tautomer, the proton residing on the ring nitrogen (not the structure shown above).^[1]

Cultural references

Sulfathiazole is mentioned in chapter 104 of Kurt Vonnegut's novel Cat's Cradle, and several of his short stories. Thoma Heggen's 1946 novel Mister Roberts mentions the use of sulfathiazole to treat gonorrhea. Also the 1998 movie Dead Heat mentions the chemical as a drug used with reanimation of dead bodies.

References

1. ^ G. J. Kruger and G. Gafner "The crystal structure of sulphathiazole II" Acta Cryst. (1971). B27, 326-333.doi:10.1107/S0567740871002176