Sulfides, Organic

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.

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.

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.

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.

Amyl mercaptan, butyl mercaptan, dimethyl disulfide, ethyl mercaptan, propyl mercaptan, methyl mercaptan, methyl ethyl sulfide.