SOME INVESTIGATIONS ON POLY(SULPHUR OXIDE) AND ITS REACTION WITH SILICON TETRACHLORIDE

Abstract

Poly(sulphur oxide) has been prepared by the low temperature thermal decomposition of the lower oxides of sulphur. This yellow, elastic solid resists water hydrolysis. It is unstable at room temperature when stored under vacuum and decomposes slowly to a powdery yellow white cyclic(sulphur oxide) and sulphur dioxide. In the presence of silicon tetrachloride, the thermal decomposition gives rise to an adduct of the lower oxide of sulphur along with the poly(sulphur oxide). The adduct hydrolyses to silica, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen sulphide and hydrogen sulphite. Based on the analysis of the hydrolysed products and the IR data, the adduct is assigned a formula of SiCl₄·2(SO), in which the silicon is hexacoordinated.