Boron sulfide

Reactions

Like the sulfides of silicon and phosphorus, B2S3 reacts with traces of water, including atmospheric moisture to release H2S. This hydrolysis is described by the following idealized equation: : B2S3 readily forms glasses when blended with other sulfides such as P4S10. Such glasses do not absorb mid-frequencies of Infra-red energy relative to conventional borosilicate glasses. Some of these ternary phases that are fast ion conductors.

B2S3 converts ketones into the corresponding thiones. For example, the conversion of benzophenone to its thione proceeds as follows: :

In practice, B2S3 would be used in excess.

Synthesis

An early synthesis involved the reaction of iron and manganese borides with hydrogen sulfide at temperatures of 300 °C. The conversion is shown for the monoborides in the following idealized equation: :

The first synthesis was done by Jöns Jakob Berzelius in 1824 by direct reaction of amorphous boron with sulfur vapor. :2 B + 3 S → B2S3

Another synthesis was favoured by Friedrich Wöhler and Henri Etienne Sainte-Claire Deville first published in 1858, starting from boron and hydrogen sulfide.{{ cite journal

:2 B + 3 H2S → B2S3 + 3 H2

Structure

The boron atoms in B2S3 are trigonal planar, and are arranged in B3S3 and B2S2 rings with bridging S atoms forming a layer structure with an interlayer distance of 355 pm. This is different from boron trioxide which has a three dimensional structure. The molecular, monomeric, form of B2S3 has a planar V shape with the central B-S-B angle of approximately 120°.

References

References

1. (2010). "Material Safety Data Sheet". VWR.
2. (1996). "Non-Arrhenius Conductivity in Glass: Mobility and Conductivity Saturation Effects". Physical Review Letters.
3. {{ cite encyclopedia. Sato, R.. (2004). J. Wiley & Sons
4. Hoffmann, J.. (1908). "Synthese von Borsulfid aus Ferro- und Manganbor". Zeitschrift für anorganische Chemie.
5. Berzelius, J.. (1824). ["Undersökning af flusspatssyran och dess märkvärdigaste föreningar"](https://books.google.com/books?id=pJlPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA46 }}
   Reprinted in German as:
   {{ cite journal). Kongliga Vetenskaps-Academiens Handlingar [Proceedings of the Royal Science Academy].
6. (1858). "Neue Beobachtungen über das Bor und einige seiner Verbindungen". [[Liebigs Annalen der Chemie und Pharmacie]].
7. {{Greenwood&Earnshaw