Less solvent solid state reaction of sodium sulfite and sulfur

Chemistry provides colorful lives of human being, yet it also brings pollution to nature, which reacts to the people themselves. Therefore, making chemical processes greener is the most important responsibility for responsible chemists. In this work, a novel synthetic technique entitled less solvent solid state reaction (LSR) is employed to synthesize Na2S2O3 center dot 5H2O from the reaction of solids Na2SO3 and S8 in small amount of water for the first time. Thermodynamically, LSR can push the equilibrium caused by solution much more to the direction of producing more products. In this reaction system, both Na2SO3 and Na2S2O3 center dot 5H2O is soluble in water, but sulfur dissolves very little and extremely slowly in water. The results indicated that LSR of stoichiometric Na2SO3, S8 and water produces Na2S2O3 center dot 5H2O almost stoichiometrically in 5 h at 115 degrees C; also, the reaction can be catalyzed by Na2S which allows it finish in 2.5 h at the same temperature.

Automated summary

Chemistry provides colorful lives of human being, yet it also brings pollution to nature, which reacts to the people themselves. Therefore, making chemical processes greener is the most important responsibility for responsible chemists. In this work, a novel synthetic technique entitled less solvent solid state reaction (LSR) is employed to synthesize Na2S2O3 center dot 5H2O from the reaction of solids Na2SO3 and S8 in small amount of water for the first time. Thermodynamically, LSR can push the equilibrium caused by solution much more to the direction of producing more products. In this reaction system, both Na2SO3 and Na2S2O3 center dot 5H2O is soluble in water, but sulfur dissolves very little and extremely slowly in water. The results indicated that LSR of stoichiometric Na2SO3, S8 and water produces Na2S2O3 center dot 5H2O almost stoichiometrically in 5 h at 115 degrees C; also, the reaction can be catalyzed by Na2S which allows it finish in 2.5 h at the same temperature.