Studies in the Chemical Behaviour of Sulphur Compounds. XI. Formation of Polythionates by the Reaction between Polythiopiperidines and Sulphite and Thiosulphate

Starting from the thiopiperidines, long unbranched sulphur chains containing 3 to 8 sulphur atoms were built making use of sulphite and thiosulphate in acetic acid medium. The Probable mode of formation of these chains as the polythionic acids $H_2S_nO_6$ is discussed. When the products of reaction between a solution of sulphur in piperidine and sulphite in presence of acetic acid were analysed, thiosulphate was found to be the major product of reaction with a small amount of polythionates associated with it. Trithionate and hydrogen sulphide were present in negligible amounts. A tentative mechanism for the reaction has been proposed