Sodium thioantimoniate
Encyclopedia
Sodium thioantimoniate, also known as Schlippe's salt, is an inorganic compound
with the formula
Na3SbS4.9H2O. This sulfosalt is named after K. F. Schlippe (1799-1867). Sodium thioantimoniate is used to make "quinsulfide antimony," Sb2S5. This salt consists of the tetrahedral SbS43- anion (rSb-S = 2.33 Å) and sodium cations, which are hydrated
. Related salts are known for different cations including ammonium
and potassium
.
, and aqueous sulfide
source.
The sulfide can be generated indirectly by the thermal reaction of elemental sulfur with sodium hydroxide or even charcoal:
In the latter route, a mixture of sodium sulfate
(16 parts) is reduced by fusion with charcoal
(4-5 parts) in the presence of antimony sulfide
(13 parts). The melt is extracted into water
which is treated with sulfur (4 parts). Upon evaporation of the solution , the salt
crystallizes as large tetrahedra, which are easily soluble in water. The anhydrous
salt melts easily on heating, and in the hydrated condition, on exposure to moist air becomes coated with a red film.
The required antimony(III) sulfide is prepared in the usual way by treatment of virtually any Sb(III) compound with sulfide sources:
.
Inorganic compound
Inorganic compounds have traditionally been considered to be of inanimate, non-biological origin. In contrast, organic compounds have an explicit biological origin. However, over the past century, the classification of inorganic vs organic compounds has become less important to scientists,...
with the formula
Chemical formula
A chemical formula or molecular formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound....
Na3SbS4.9H2O. This sulfosalt is named after K. F. Schlippe (1799-1867). Sodium thioantimoniate is used to make "quinsulfide antimony," Sb2S5. This salt consists of the tetrahedral SbS43- anion (rSb-S = 2.33 Å) and sodium cations, which are hydrated
Water of crystallization
In crystallography, water of crystallization or water of hydration or crystallization water is water that occurs in crystals. Water of crystallization is necessary for the maintenance of crystalline properties, but capable of being removed by sufficient heat...
. Related salts are known for different cations including ammonium
Ammonium
The ammonium cation is a positively charged polyatomic cation with the chemical formula NH. It is formed by the protonation of ammonia...
and potassium
Potassium
Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K and atomic number 19. Elemental potassium is a soft silvery-white alkali metal that oxidizes rapidly in air and is very reactive with water, generating sufficient heat to ignite the hydrogen emitted in the reaction.Potassium and sodium are...
.
Preparation
Sodium thioantimoniate is prepared by the reaction of antimony trisulfide, elemental sulfurSulfur
Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
, and aqueous sulfide
Sulfide
A sulfide is an anion of sulfur in its lowest oxidation state of 2-. Sulfide is also a slightly archaic term for thioethers, a common type of organosulfur compound that are well known for their bad odors.- Properties :...
source.
- 3 Na2S + 2 S + Sb2S3 + 9 H2O → 2 Na3SbS4 • 9 H2O
The sulfide can be generated indirectly by the thermal reaction of elemental sulfur with sodium hydroxide or even charcoal:
- Sb2S3 + 8 NaOH + 6 S → 2 Na3SbS4 + Na2SO4 + 4 H2O
In the latter route, a mixture of sodium sulfate
Sodium sulfate
Sodium sulfate is the sodium salt of sulfuric acid. When anhydrous, it is a white crystalline solid of formula Na2SO4 known as the mineral thenardite; the decahydrate Na2SO4·10H2O has been known as Glauber's salt or, historically, sal mirabilis since the 17th century. Another solid is the...
(16 parts) is reduced by fusion with charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
(4-5 parts) in the presence of antimony sulfide
Sulfide
A sulfide is an anion of sulfur in its lowest oxidation state of 2-. Sulfide is also a slightly archaic term for thioethers, a common type of organosulfur compound that are well known for their bad odors.- Properties :...
(13 parts). The melt is extracted into water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
which is treated with sulfur (4 parts). Upon evaporation of the solution , the salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
crystallizes as large tetrahedra, which are easily soluble in water. The anhydrous
Anhydrous
As a general term, a substance is said to be anhydrous if it contains no water. The way of achieving the anhydrous form differs from one substance to another...
salt melts easily on heating, and in the hydrated condition, on exposure to moist air becomes coated with a red film.
The required antimony(III) sulfide is prepared in the usual way by treatment of virtually any Sb(III) compound with sulfide sources:
- 2 SbCl3 + 3 H2S → Sb2S3 + 6 HCl
Applications
The Schlippes Salt was used to generate antimony(V) sulfide, which was used as an "amplifier" in silver-based photography, in matches as a flammable component, and for vulcanizing rubber. It is used in the electrolytic deposition of zincZinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
.
Related compounds
- Antimony (III) sulfide, Sb2S3
- "Quinsulfide antimony" or "gold sulfur" Sb2S5