Tetramethylthiuram sulfide is an

organosulfur compound Organosulfur compounds are organic compounds that contain sulfur. They are often associated with foul odors, but many of the sweetest compounds known are organosulfur derivatives, e.g., saccharin. Nature abounds with organosulfur compounds—sulfu ...

with the formula ((CH₃)₂NCS)₂S. It is a yellow solid that is soluble in organic solvents. It is the parent member of a large class of tetraalkylthiuram sulfides. It is used as an activator in the

sulfur vulcanization Sulfur vulcanization is a chemical process for converting natural rubber or related polymers into materials of varying hardness, elasticity, and mechanical durability by heating them with sulfur or sulfur-containing compounds. Sulfur forms cros ...

of natural and butyl rubbers.

Synthesis and structure

It is prepared by desulfuration of tetramethyl

thiuram disulfide Thiuram disulfides are a class of organosulfur compounds with the formula (R2NCSS)2. Many examples are known, but popular ones include R = Me and Et. They are disulfides obtained by oxidation of the dithiocarbamates. These compounds are used i ...

s with

triphenylphosphine Triphenylphosphine (IUPAC name: triphenylphosphane) is a common organophosphorus compound with the formula P(C6H5)3 and often abbreviated to P Ph3 or Ph3P. It is widely used in the synthesis of organic and organometallic compounds. PPh3 exists a ...

cyanide Cyanide is a naturally occurring, rapidly acting, toxic chemical that can exist in many different forms. In chemistry, a cyanide () is a chemical compound that contains a functional group. This group, known as the cyano group, consists of ...

: :(Me₂NCSS)₂ + PPh₃ → (Me₂NCS)₂S + SPPh₃ According to

X-ray crystallography X-ray crystallography is the experimental science determining the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal, in which the crystalline structure causes a beam of incident X-rays to diffract into many specific directions. By measuring the angles ...

, the molecule consists of two planar (CH₃)₂NCS subunits joined by a

sulfide Sulfide (British English also sulphide) is an inorganic anion of sulfur with the chemical formula S2− or a compound containing one or more S2− ions. Solutions of sulfide salts are corrosive. ''Sulfide'' also refers to chemical compounds lar ...

. The

dihedral angle A dihedral angle is the angle between two intersecting planes or half-planes. In chemistry, it is the clockwise angle between half-planes through two sets of three atoms, having two atoms in common. In solid geometry, it is defined as the uni ...

between the subunits is close to 90°.

References

Organosulfur compounds {{organic-compound-stub