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Reactive Group Datasheet

Sulfides, Organic

What are reactive groups?

Reactive groups are categories of chemicals that typically react in similar ways because they are similar in their chemical structure. Each substance with a chemical datasheet has been assigned to one or more reactive groups, and CAMEO Chemicals uses the reactive group assignments to make its reactivity predictions. More info about reactivity predictions...

If you can't find a chemical in the database--but you know what reactive group it belongs in--you can add the reactive group to MyChemicals instead in order to see the reactivity predictions.

There are 190 chemical datasheets assigned to this reactive group.

Description

Flammability
The low-molecular-weight gaseous and liquid sulfides (such as methyl mercaptan or ethyl mercaptan) are extremely flammable, but flammability diminishes with increasing molecular weight. The products of combustion include sulfur dioxide.
Reactivity
Materials in this group are incompatible with acids, diazo and azo compounds, halocarbons, isocyanates, aldehydes, alkali metals, nitrides, hydrides, and other strong reducing agents. Reactions with these materials generate heat and in many cases hydrogen gas. Many of these compounds may liberate hydrogen sulfide upon decomposition or reaction with an acid. They are oxidized readily in the presence of oxidants.
Toxicity
Most organic sulfides are toxic by inhalation. In general, they smell very bad even at low concentrations. For this reason, methyl mercaptan is added to natural gas (which is odorless) to assist in the detection of leaks.
Other Characteristics
Compounds in this group include thiols (mercaptans), which are characterized by an organic group attached to a sulfur atom R-SH, disulfides, which have the formula R-S-S-R, and thioethers (sulfides), which contain the structure R-S-R. The reactions of thiols resemble those of alcohols. These chemicals are used in industrial synthesis of chemicals, and are important as catalysts, as additives in petroleum and natural gas, and as pesticides.
Examples
Amyl mercaptan, butyl mercaptan, dimethyl disulfide, ethyl mercaptan, propyl mercaptan, methyl mercaptan, methyl ethyl sulfide.

Reactivity Documentation

Use the links below to find out how this reactive group interacts with any of the reactive groups in the database.

The predicted hazards and gas byproducts for each reactive group pair will be displayed, as well as documentation and references that were used to make the reactivity predictions.

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