Sulfur tetrachloride explained
Sulfur tetrachloride is an inorganic compound with chemical formula SCl4. It has only been obtained as an unstable pale yellow solid. The corresponding SF4 is a stable, useful reagent.
Preparation and structure
It is obtained by treating sulfur dichloride with chlorine at 193 K:
It melts with simultaneous decomposition above −20 °C.[1]
Its solid structure is uncertain. It is probably the salt SCl3+Cl−, since related salts are known with noncoordinating anions.[2] In contrast to this tetrachloride, SF4 is a neutral molecule.[3]
Reactions
It decomposes above −30 °C (242 K) to sulfur dichloride and chlorine.
It hydrolyzes readily:
Sulfur tetrachloride reacts with water, producing hydrogen chloride and sulfur dioxide through the hydrolysis process. Thionyl chloride is an implied intermediate.[4]
It can be oxidized by nitric acid:
Notes and References
- Georg Brauer: Handbuch der Präparativen Anorganischen Chemie.
- 10.1021/ic00226a012 . Preparations, Raman spectra, and crystal structures of (SCl3)(SbCl6), (SeCl3)(SbCl6), (SBr1.2Cl1.8)(SbCl6), (TeCl3)(AlCl4) (Triclinic modification), (TeCl3)(SbF6), (TeCl3)(AsF6), and (TeF3)2(SO4) . 1986 . Christian . Beverly H. . Collins . Michael J. . Gillespie . Ronald J. . Sawyer . Jeffery F. . Inorganic Chemistry . 25 . 6 . 777–788 .
- 10.1002/anie.201302917 . The Solid-State Structure of SF4: The Final Piece of the Puzzle . 2013 . Goettel . James T. . Kostiuk . Nathan . Gerken . Michael . Angewandte Chemie International Edition . 52 . 31 . 8037–8040 . 23784951 .
- Holleman-Wiberg, Lehrbuch der Anorganischen Chemie, 101. Auflage, de Gruyter Verlag 1995
