Thermal decomposition and mass spectra of 2-iodoethyl p-tolyl sulphide

Abstract

2-Iodoethyl p-tolyl sulphide may be prepared from 2-hydroxyethyl p- tolyl sulphide via the orthophenylene phosphite ester. At temperatures of about 100° it was converted into 1,2-bis(p-tolylthio)-ethane with concomitant liberation of iodine. The mass spectrum of the 2-iodoethyl p-tolyl sulphide revealed that the molecule fragmented by ionization of the halogen atom while the mass spectra of the corresponding chloro and bromo derivatives revealed fragments resulting from ionization at both the sulphur and halogen atoms.