Reactions of thiols and organic disulfides with iron and its oxides

The influence of O₂ and H₂O on the formation of iron dithiolates (IDTs) by the reactions of thiols and organic disulfides with the iron powder was studied under the static (without mechanical activation of the reaction) and dynamic (with mechanical activation of the reaction) conditions. Under the static conditions in the absence of O₂ or H₂O, only BnSH and PhSH give IDTs, whereas DdSH (Dd is dodecyl) produces IDTs in the presence of O₂ or H₂O. For the mechanical activation of the reactions of organic disulfides with the iron powder, the formation of IDTs is possible if the reaction mixture contains H₂O. On the interaction with iron oxides excess thiols are oxidized to organic disulfides and also afford IDTs. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1383–1386, August, 2006.