Studies in the Chemical Behaviour of Sulphur Compounds. XI. Formation of Polythionates by the Reaction between Polythiopiperidines and Sulphite and Thiosulphate

Abstract

Starting from the thiopiperidines, long unbranched sulphur chains containing 3 to 8 sulphur atoms were built making use of sulphite and thiosulphate in acetic acid medium. The Probable mode of formation of these chains as the polythionic acids $H_2S_nO_6$ is discussed. When the products of reaction between a solution of sulphur in piperidine and sulphite in presence of acetic acid were analysed, thiosulphate was found to be the major product of reaction with a small amount of polythionates associated with it. Trithionate and hydrogen sulphide were present in negligible amounts. A tentative mechanism for the reaction has been proposed