The Interaction of Sulfur and Sulfur Compounds with Olefinic Substances. VII. Low-Temperature Sulfuration of Trialkylethylenes with Hydrogen Sulfide-Sulfur Dioxide and with a Sulfur-Zinc Dithiocarbamate System

Abstract The sulfuration of trialkylethylenes with hydrogen sulfide-sulfur dioxide at 0° C (Peachey process) results in disubstitutive cross-linking of the olefins, yielding dialkenyl tetrasulfides. At higher temperatures, substitutive-additive cross-linking occurs, and alkyl alkenyl polysulfides are formed. Dialkenyl tetrasulfides are similarly formed by causing the olefin to react with sulfur at room temperature in the presence of zinc oxide and zinc dibutyldithiocarbamate, low concentrations of hydrogen sulfide acting as a catalyst for this reaction. At higher temperatures, the reaction is also exclusively disubstitutive, a feature connected with the function of zinc compounds in influencing the cross-linking reaction. The sulfuration of olefins with tetramethylthiuram disulfide at 140° C shows a similar influence of zinc compounds.