Sulfur tetrafluoride

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Sulfur tetrafluoride
Sulfur-tetrafluoride-2D-dimensions.png
Ball-and-stick model of sulfur tetrafluoride Sulfur-tetrafluoride-3D-balls.png
Ball-and-stick model of sulfur tetrafluoride
Space-filling model of sulfur tetrafluoride Sulfur-tetrafluoride-3D-vdW.png
Space-filling model of sulfur tetrafluoride
Names
IUPAC name
Sulfur(IV) fluoride
Other names
Sulfur tetrafluoride
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.029.103 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
PubChem CID
RTECS number
  • WT4800000
UNII
UN number 2418
  • InChI=1S/F4S/c1-5(2,3)4 Yes check.svgY
    Key: QHMQWEPBXSHHLH-UHFFFAOYSA-N Yes check.svgY
  • InChI=1/F4S/c1-5(2,3)4
    Key: QHMQWEPBXSHHLH-UHFFFAOYAT
  • FS(F)(F)F
Properties
SF4
Molar mass 108.07 g/mol
Appearancecolorless gas
Density 1.95 g/cm3, 78 °C
Melting point 121.0 °C
Boiling point 38 °C
reacts
Vapor pressure 10.5 atm (22 °C) [1]
Structure
Seesaw (C2v)
0.632 D [2]
Hazards
Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH):
Main hazards
highly reactive and toxic gas
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704.svgHealth 3: Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury. E.g. chlorine gasFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 2: Undergoes violent chemical change at elevated temperatures and pressures, reacts violently with water, or may form explosive mixtures with water. E.g. white phosphorusSpecial hazard W: Reacts with water in an unusual or dangerous manner. E.g. sodium, sulfuric acid
3
0
2
W
NIOSH (US health exposure limits):
PEL (Permissible)
none [1]
REL (Recommended)
C 0.1 ppm (0.4 mg/m3) [1]
IDLH (Immediate danger)
N.D. [1]
Safety data sheet (SDS) ICSC 1456
Related compounds
Other anions
Sulfur dichloride
Disulfur dibromide
Sulfur trifluoride
Other cations
Oxygen difluoride
Selenium tetrafluoride
Tellurium tetrafluoride
Related sulfur fluorides
Disulfur difluoride
Sulfur difluoride
Disulfur decafluoride
Sulfur hexafluoride
Related compounds
Thionyl fluoride
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Yes check.svgY  verify  (what is  Yes check.svgYX mark.svgN ?)

Sulfur tetrafluoride is a chemical compound with the formula S F4. It is a colorless corrosive gas that releases dangerous hydrogen fluoride gas upon exposure to water or moisture. Sulfur tetrafluoride is a useful reagent for the preparation of organofluorine compounds, [3] some of which are important in the pharmaceutical and specialty chemical industries.

Contents

Structure

Sulfur in SF4 is in the +4 oxidation state, with one lone pair of electrons. The atoms in SF4 are arranged in a see-saw shape, with the sulfur atom at the center. One of the three equatorial positions is occupied by a nonbonding lone pair of electrons. Consequently, the molecule has two distinct types of F ligands, two axial and two equatorial. The relevant bond distances are S–Fax = 164.3 pm and S–Feq = 154.2 pm. It is typical for the axial ligands in hypervalent molecules to be bonded less strongly.

The 19F NMR spectrum of SF4 reveals only one signal, which indicates that the axial and equatorial F atom positions rapidly interconvert via pseudorotation. [4]

Intramolecular dynamic equilibration of SF4. SF4dyns.png
Intramolecular dynamic equilibration of SF4.

Synthesis and manufacture

At the laboratory scale, sulfur tetrafluoride is prepared from elemental sulfur and cobaltic fluoride [5]

S + 4CoF3 → SF4 + 4CoF2

SF4 is industrially produced by the reaction of SCl2 and NaF with acetonitrile as a catalyst [6]

3 SCl2 + 4 NaF → SF4 + S2Cl2 + 4 NaCl

At higher temperatures (e.g. 225–450 °C), the solvent is superfluous. Moreover, sulfur dichloride may be replaced by elemental sulfur (S) and chlorine (Cl2). [7] [8]

A low-temperature (e.g. 20–86 °C) alternative to the chlorinative process above uses liquid bromine (Br2) as oxidant and solvent: [9]

S(s) + 2 Br2(l; excess) + 4KF(s) → SF4↑ + 4 KBr(brom)

Use in synthesis of organofluorine compounds

In organic synthesis, SF4 is used to convert COH and C=O groups into CF and CF2 groups, respectively. [10] The efficiency of these conversions are highly variable.

In the laboratory, the use of SF4 has been superseded by the safer and more easily handled diethylaminosulfur trifluoride, (C2H5)2NSF3, "DAST": [11] This reagent is prepared from SF4: [12]

SF4 + (CH3)3SiN(C2H5)2 → (C2H5)2NSF3 + (CH3)3SiF

Other reactions

Sulfur chloride pentafluoride (SF
5
Cl
), a useful source of the SF5 group, is prepared from SF4. [13]

SF4 + Cl2 + CsF → SF5Cl + CsCl

Hydrolysis of SF4 gives sulfur dioxide: [14]

SF4 + 2 H2O → SO2 + 4 HF

This reaction proceeds via the intermediacy of thionyl fluoride, which usually does not interfere with the use of SF4 as a reagent. [6]

When amines are treated with SF4 and a base, aminosulfur difluorides result. [15]

SF4Scope5.png

Toxicity

SF
4
reacts inside the lungs with moisture, forming sulfur dioxide and hydrogen fluoride which forms highly toxic and corrosive hydrofluoric acid [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acyl halide</span> Oxoacid compound with an –OH group replaced by a halogen

In organic chemistry, an acyl halide is a chemical compound derived from an oxoacid by replacing a hydroxyl group with a halide group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thionyl fluoride</span> Chemical compound

Thionyl fluoride is the inorganic compound with the formula SOF2. This colourless gas is mainly of theoretical interest, but it is a product of the degradation of sulfur hexafluoride, an insulator in electrical equipment. The molecule adopts a distorted pyramidal structure, with Cs symmetry. The S-O and S-F distances are 1.42 and 1.58 Å, respectively. The O-S-F and F-S-F angles are 106.2 and 92.2°, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cobalt(III) fluoride</span> Chemical compound

Cobalt(III) fluoride is the inorganic compound with the formula CoF3. Hydrates are also known. The anhydrous compound is a hygroscopic brown solid. It is used to synthesize organofluorine compounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulfur dichloride</span> Chemical compound

Sulfur dichloride is the chemical compound with the formula SCl2. This cherry-red liquid is the simplest sulfur chloride and one of the most common, and it is used as a precursor to organosulfur compounds. It is a highly corrosive and toxic substance, and it reacts on contact with water to form chlorine-containing acids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TASF reagent</span> Chemical compound

The TASF reagent or tris(dimethylamino)sulfonium difluorotrimethylsilicate is a reagent in organic chemistry with structural formula [((CH3)2N)3S]+[F2Si(CH3)3]. It is an anhydrous source of fluoride and is used to cleave silyl ether protective groups. Many other fluoride reagents are known, but few are truly anhydrous, because of the extraordinary basicity of "naked" F. In TASF, the fluoride is masked as an adduct with the weak Lewis acid trimethylsilylfluoride (FSi(CH3)3). The sulfonium cation ((CH3)2N)3S+ is unusually non-electrophilic due to the electron-donating properties of the three (CH3)2N substituents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hexafluorosilicic acid</span> Octahedric silicon compound

Hexafluorosilicic acid is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula H
2
SiF
6
. Aqueous solutions of hexafluorosilicic acid consist of salts of the cation and hexafluorosilicate anion. These salts and their aqueous solutions are colorless.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molybdenum(V) chloride</span> Chemical compound

Molybdenum(V) chloride is the inorganic compound with the empirical formula MoCl5. This dark volatile solid is used in research to prepare other molybdenum compounds. It is moisture-sensitive and soluble in chlorinated solvents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanadium(V) oxytrifluoride</span> Chemical compound

Vanadium(V) oxytrifluoride is a chemical compound with the formula VOF3. It is one of several vanadium(V) oxyhalides. VOF3 is a yellowish orange powder that is sensitive to moisture. Characteristic of early metal fluorides, the structure is polymeric in the solid state. The solid adopts a layered structure but upon evaporation, the species becomes dimeric. In contrast VOCl3 and VOBr3 remain tetrahedral in all states, being volatile liquids at room temperature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selenium tetrafluoride</span> Chemical compound

Selenium tetrafluoride (SeF4) is an inorganic compound. It is a colourless liquid that reacts readily with water. It can be used as a fluorinating reagent in organic syntheses (fluorination of alcohols, carboxylic acids or carbonyl compounds) and has advantages over sulfur tetrafluoride in that milder conditions can be employed and it is a liquid rather than a gas.

In inorganic chemistry, sulfonyl halide groups occur when a sulfonyl functional group is singly bonded to a halogen atom. They have the general formula RSO2X, where X is a halogen. The stability of sulfonyl halides decreases in the order fluorides > chlorides > bromides > iodides, all four types being well known. The sulfonyl chlorides and fluorides are of dominant importance in this series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide</span> Chemical compound

Lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide is a lithiated organosilicon compound with the formula LiN(Si(CH3)3)2. It is commonly abbreviated as LiHMDS or Li(HMDS) (lithium hexamethyldisilazide - a reference to its conjugate acid HMDS) and is primarily used as a strong non-nucleophilic base and as a ligand. Like many lithium reagents, it has a tendency to aggregate and will form a cyclic trimer in the absence of coordinating species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diethylaminosulfur trifluoride</span> Chemical compound

Diethylaminosulfur trifluoride (DAST) is the organosulfur compound with the formula Et2NSF3. This liquid is a fluorinating reagent used for the synthesis of organofluorine compounds. The compound is colourless; older samples assume an orange colour.

Arsenic pentafluoride is a chemical compound of arsenic and fluorine. It is a toxic, colorless gas. The oxidation state of arsenic is +5.

Fluorination by sulfur tetrafluoride produces organofluorine compounds from oxygen-containing organic functional groups using sulfur tetrafluoride. The reaction has broad scope, and SF4 is an inexpensive reagent. It is however hazardous gas whose handling requires specialized apparatus. Thus, for many laboratory scale fluorinations diethylaminosulfur trifluoride ("DAST") is used instead.

Fluorination with aminosulfuranes is a chemical reaction that transforms oxidized organic compounds into organofluorine compounds. Aminosulfuranes selectively exchange hydroxyl groups for fluorine, but are also capable of converting carbonyl groups, halides, silyl ethers, and other functionality into organofluorides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sulfur chloride pentafluoride</span> Chemical compound

Sulfur chloride pentafluoride is an inorganic compound with the formula SF5Cl. It exists as a colorless gas at room temperature and is highly toxic, like most inorganic compounds containing the pentafluorosulfide functional group. The compound adopts an octahedral geometry with C
4v
symmetry. Sulfur chloride pentafluoride is the only commercially available reagent for adding the –SF5 group to organic compounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanadium pentafluoride</span> Chemical compound

Vanadium(V) fluoride is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula VF5. It is a colorless volatile liquid that freezes near room temperature. It is a highly reactive compound, as indicated by its ability to fluorinate organic substances.

Fluorine forms a great variety of chemical compounds, within which it always adopts an oxidation state of −1. With other atoms, fluorine forms either polar covalent bonds or ionic bonds. Most frequently, covalent bonds involving fluorine atoms are single bonds, although at least two examples of a higher order bond exist. Fluoride may act as a bridging ligand between two metals in some complex molecules. Molecules containing fluorine may also exhibit hydrogen bonding. Fluorine's chemistry includes inorganic compounds formed with hydrogen, metals, nonmetals, and even noble gases; as well as a diverse set of organic compounds. For many elements the highest known oxidation state can be achieved in a fluoride. For some elements this is achieved exclusively in a fluoride, for others exclusively in an oxide; and for still others the highest oxidation states of oxides and fluorides are always equal.

Difluoroamino sulfur pentafluoride is a gaseous chemical compound of fluorine, sulfur, and nitrogen. It is unusual in having a hexa-coordinated sulfur atom with a link to nitrogen. Other names for this substance include difluoro(pentafluorosulfur)amine, pentafluorosulfanyldifluoramine, and pentafluorosulfanyl N,N-difluoramine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin's sulfurane</span> Chemical compound

Martin's sulfurane is the organosulfur compound with the formula Ph2S[OC(CF3)2Ph]2 (Ph = C6H5). It is a white solid that easily undergoes sublimation. The compound is an example of a hypervalent sulfur compound called a sulfurane. As such, the sulfur adopts a see-saw structure, with a lone pair of electrons as the equatorial fifth coordinate of a trigonal bipyramid, like that of sulfur tetrafluoride (SF4). The compound is a reagent in organic synthesis. One application is for the dehydration of a secondary alcohol to give an alkene:

References

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