AQUEOUS HIGH-TEMPERATURE CHEMISTRY OF CARBOCYCLES AND HETEROCYCLES .14. MERCAPTANS AND SULFONIC-ACIDS

Phenylmethanethiol and phenylethanethiol are highly reactive under both thermolytic and aquathermolysis conditions. 3-Phenylpropanethiol shows some conversion, but 75% or more remains after 5 days at 250 °C. Initial coupling reactions of such mercaptans to form disulfides which then lose H2S provide facile pathways for the formation of H2S during the steam stimulation process used to recover heavy bitumens. 2-(2-Pyridyl)- and 2-(4-pyridyl)ethanesulfonic acids give a wide variety of derivatives under both thermal and aqueous conditions, with 2- and 4-methylpyridines as major products. By contrast 2-phenylethanesulfonic acid is unreactive, and its sodium salt gives only traces of styrene under aquathermolysis conditions. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.