8978. Sulfur Tetrafluoride

Nomenclature

CAS number: 7783-60-0
F4S; mol wt 108.06.
F 70.33%, S 29.67%.
SF4.

Description and references

First prepd from cobalt trifluoride and elemental sulfur: Fischer, Jaenckner, Angew. Chem. 42, 810 (1929); Kwasnik in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry vol. 1, G. Brauer, Ed. (Academic Press, New York, 2nd ed., 1963) pp 168-169. Best prepared from SCl2 and NaF suspended in acetonitrile; also from sulfur, chlorine and sodium fluoride: Tullock et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 82, 539 (1960); Arth, Fried, US 3046094 (1962 to Merck & Co.); Fawcett, Tullock, Inorg. Synth. 7, 119 (1963). Reviews of prepn and chemistry: Smith, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 1, 467-475 (1962); Kemmitt, Sharp, Adv. Fluorine Chem. 4, 220-222 (1965); Martin, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 145, 161-168 (1967).

Properties

Colorless gas. Poisonous; corrosive. Thermostable to 600°. mp 121.0°. bp 38°. d (liq; 78°) 1.95. d (solid; 183°) 2.349. Freely sol in benzene. Violent reaction with water. Hydrofluoric acid released on exposure to moisture. Dec by concd H2SO4. Attacks glass but not quartz or mercury.

Caution

Potential symptoms of overexposure are irritation of eyes, mucous membranes; direct contact with liquid may cause frostbite; eye and skin burns from released hydrofluoric acid. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140, 1997) p 290.

Use

Selective fluorinating agent.