Sulfides
Sulfides
Sulfides belong to that class of compounds bearing an inorganic anion of sulfur (S2-). In organic chemistry it denotes a class of compounds that have a C-S-C linkage in them and may sometimes be alternatively referred to as thioethers. Organic sulfides readily form stable sulfonium salts when alkylated. These sulfonium salts can be used to prepared sulfur -ylides. Sulfides are the precursors for sulfoxide and sulfones that have wide-applicability. Sulfides are extensively used in the synthesis of organic compounds that find applications in drugs, property enhancing additives, rubber oxidants, and agricultural chemicals. They are sometimes used as solvents of extraction.
Some sulfides function as antioxidant, scavenging peroxides that are formed during thermal oxidation degradation of plastics and other organic materials. The polymer polyphenylene sulfide is employed as a high temperature plastic. Organic sulfides are biologically important compounds. Amino acid methionine and the cofactor biotin are some examples of sulfides found in biological systems.
