Sulfur Linkage in Vulcanized Rubber. Reaction of Methyl Iodide with Sulfur Compounds

Abstract

Abstract The work described here is an extension of the study of the reaction of methyl iodide with sulfur compounds originally begun with the purpose of using such data in determining the sulfur linkage in vulcanized rubber. A previous paper dealt with the reactions of methyl iodide with propanethiol, propyl sulfide, propyl disulfide, allyl sulfide, and thiophene. This article adds to the list, n-butyl methallyl sulfide, allyl disulfide, allyl tetrasulfide, n-propyl tetrasulfide, and trithiane. The removal of combined sulfur from vulcanized rubber as trimethylsulfonium iodide on treatment with methyl iodide at room temperature was persuasive evidence of the presence of sulfide sulfur linked to allylic type residues. The evidence offered, however, did not constitute exclusive proof because it was not known whether still other types of sulfur linkage would also yield trimethylsulfonium iodide. To shed more light on this question, the sulfur linkages most likely to occur in vulcanizates—the allyl-alkyl monosulfide, diallyl and dialkyl di- and polysulfide—were investigated. The trithiane reaction is of interest mostly from the point of view of the reaction of overcured stocks or secondary reaction products stemming from the original polysulfides. The reactions were carried out using the method described in a previous paper.