A MASS SPECTROMETRIC STUDY OF THE OXIDATION OF HYDROGEN SULPHIDE PART I. OBSERVATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF SOME INTERMEDIATES

Abstract

The oxidation of hydrogen sulphide has been followed mass-spectrometrically by direct sampling from a reaction vessel having a small leak. In the neighborhood of the third explosion limit, there is a period of 8–12 seconds of accelerating reaction before the explosion; during this time peaks are observed to grow, disappearing after explosion. By using D₂S/¹⁶O₂ and H₂S/¹⁸O₂ mixtures, it has been shown that these peaks arise from the ions H₂⁺, S₂O⁺, H₂SO⁺, S₂⁺, and H₂S₂⁺. It is evident that the first two ions represent the intermediate formation of hydrogen and disulphur monoxide; the parents of the last three ions are discussed, and it is concluded that the most likely possibilities are H₂SO₂, S₂, and H₂S₂. Only during the explosion itself is there any evidence for SO radical.