Sulfur dichloride

Chemical properties

Reddish-brown, fuming liquid; pungent chlorine odor. Decomposes in water and alcohol; soluble in benzene.

The Uses of Sulfur dichloride

Chlorine carrier or chlorinating agent, rubber vulcanizing, vulcanized oils, purifying sugar juices, sulfur solvent, chloridizing agent in metallurgy, manufacture of organic chemicals and insecticides.

Hazard

Toxic by inhalation and ingestion, strong irritant to tissue.

Safety Profile

Poison irritant and corrosive to shin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Flammable when exposed to heat or flame. Reacts violently with Al, NH3, K, Na, acetone, dunethyl sulfoxide, water, oxidants, metals, hexafluoroisopropylidene amino lithium, and toluene. Reactive with water or steam. When heated to decomposition it emits very toxic fumes of SOx and Cl-.

Purification Methods

Distil sulfur chloride twice in the presence of a small amount of PCl3 through a 12in Vigreux column (p 11), the fraction boiling between 55-61o being redistilled (in the presence of PCl3), and the fraction distilling between 58-61o retained. (The PCl3 is added to inhibit the decomposition of SCl2 into S2Cl2 and Cl2). The SCl2 must be used as quickly as possible after distillation — within 1hour at room temperature. The sample contains 4% of S2Cl2. On long standing this reaches 16-18%. [Fehér in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry (Ed. Brauer) Academic Press Vol I pp 371-372 1963.] HARMFUL VAPOURS.