Abstract
The solvent effects on the reaction of lauryl chloride with sodium hydrogensulfide were investigated. The yield of lauryl mercaptan (RSH) was high in dipolar aprotic solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and dimethylformamide (DMF), and the reaction rate somewhat decreased in the presence of a small amount of water. In protic solvents such as ethanol and methanol, the formation of di-ndodecyl sulfide was accelerated, although the yield of RSH became lower only to a very slight extent than that observed in DMSO .The results were discussed based on the extent of solvations of hydrogensulfideions, sodium ions, and the activated complex . The nucleophilicity of the hydrogensulf ide ions in the initial state of reaction was also estimated by means of ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy.
