Phosphorus sesquisulfide

Phosphorus sesquisulfide is the chemical compound with the formula P₄S₃.

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Depending on purity, samples can appear yellow-green to grey. The compound was discovered by G. Lemoine and first produced safely in commercial quantities in 1898 by Albright and Wilson. It dissolves in an equal weight of carbon disulfide (CS₂), underscoring the remarkable ability of CS₂ to dissolve sulfur-rich compounds.

This bicyclic heterocycle has C_3v symmetry. It is a derivative of phosphorus (P₄) by insertion of Sulfur atoms between three P-P bonds. The P-S and P-P distances are 2.090 and 2.235 Å, respectively.^[1]

Other phosphorus sulfides and selenides

Several molecular phosphorus sulfides are known in addition to P₄S₃: three isomers of P₄S₄, two isomers of P₄S₅, P₄S₆, P₄S₇, P₄S₈, P₄S₉, and P₄S₁₀.^[2] P₄S₂ is also known but is unstable > -30 °C.^[3]

P₄Se₃ and P₄S₃ adopt the same structures.

Applications

P₄S₃ is an intermediate in production of phosphorus pentasulfide (P₄S₁₀).

A 1:2 mixture, by weight, of P₄S₃ and potassium chlorate, together with other materials, comprises the heads of "strike-anywhere matches".^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Leung, Y. C.; Waser, J.; van Houten, S.; Vos, A.; Wiegers, G. A.; Wiebenga, E. H. “The crystal structure of P₄S₃”. Acta Crystallographica , Volume 10, pages 574-582, year 1957. DOI:10.1107/S0365110X57002042
2. ^ Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. Inorganic Chemistry. Academic Press: San Diego, 2001. ISBN 0-12-352651-5.
3. ^ Heal, H. G. The Inorganic Heterocyclic Chemistry of Sulfur, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus. Academic Press: London; 1980. ISBN 0-12-33580-6.
4. ^ D. E. C. Corbridge. Phosphorus: An Outline of its Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Technology. 5th Edition. Elsevier: Amsterdam 1995. ISBN 0-444-89307-5. For a discussion of safety matches, see pages 115-116.