Xanthates and related compounds as versatile agents in colloid science

Making waves: Xanthates on the radar - Environmental risks and water quality impact

Xanthates, derivatives of xanthic acid, are widely utilized across industries such as agrochemicals, rubber processing, pharmaceuticals, metallurgical, paper and mining to help separate metals from ore. Despite their prevalent use, many registered xanthates lack comprehensive information on potential risks to human health and the environment. The mining sector, a significant consumer of xanthates, drives demand. However, emissions into the environment remain poorly understood, especially concerning water quality. A recent EU parliamentary voting on water legislation highlights the urgency to address water pollution and the potential toxicity of xanthates. While limited data exist on xanthate presence in the environment, existing studies indicate their toxicity and contribution to environmental pollution, primarily due to carbon disulfide, a decomposition product. Concerns are mounting over the release of xanthates and carbon disulfide, particularly in mining areas near populated regions and river tributaries, raising questions about downstream impacts and public health risks. Proposed expansions of xanthate-reliant mining activities in Europe, heighten concerns about emissions and water quality impacts. Current databases lack xanthate-related monitoring data, hindering environmental and health risk assessments. Addressing this gap requires water sampling and chemical analysis and investigations into the use, occurrence, and potential impacts of xanthates from industrial activities on water bodies, including those used for drinking water production is imperative.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of bis-[(eth-oxy-methane-thio-yl)sulfanido](N,N,N',N'-tetra-methyl-ethane-1,2-di-amine)-mercury(II)

The title four-coordinate mononuclear complex, [Hg(C3H5OS2)2(C6H16N2)] or [Hg(C3H5OS2)2(tmeda)] (tmeda: N,N,N',N'-tetra-methyl-ethane-1,2-di-amine), has a distorted tetra-hedral geometry. The HgII ion is coordinated to two N atoms of the N,N,N',N'-tetra-methyl-ethylenedi-amine ligand and two S atoms from two ethylxanthate xanthate ligands. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by weak C-H⋯S hydrogen bonds, forming a two-dimensional supra-molecular architecture in the ab plane. The most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯H (59.3%), S⋯H (27.4%) and O⋯H (7.5%) inter-actions.

Dithiocarbamate Complexes as Single Source Precursors to Nanoscale Binary, Ternary and Quaternary Metal Sulfides

Nanodimensional metal sulfides are a developing class of low-cost materials with potential applications in areas as wide-ranging as energy storage, electrocatalysis, and imaging. An attractive synthetic strategy, which allows careful control over stoichiometry, is the single source precursor (SSP) approach in which well-defined molecular species containing preformed metal-sulfur bonds are heated to decomposition, either in the vapor or solution phase, resulting in facile loss of organics and formation of nanodimensional metal sulfides. By careful control of the precursor, the decomposition environment and addition of surfactants, this approach affords a range of nanocrystalline materials from a library of precursors. Dithiocarbamates (DTCs) are monoanionic chelating ligands that have been known for over a century and find applications in agriculture, medicine, and materials science. They are easily prepared from nontoxic secondary and primary amines and form stable complexes with all elements. Since pioneering work in the late 1980s, the use of DTC complexes as SSPs to a wide range of binary, ternary, and multinary sulfides has been extensively documented. This review maps these developments, from the formation of thin films, often comprised of embedded nanocrystals, to quantum dots coated with organic ligands or shelled by other metal sulfides that show high photoluminescence quantum yields, and a range of other nanomaterials in which both the phase and morphology of the nanocrystals can be engineered, allowing fine-tuning of technologically important physical properties, thus opening up a myriad of potential applications.

Xanthate-modified alginates for the removal of Pb(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solutions: A brief analysis of alginate xanthation

Mining is the most common activity that introduces heavy metal ions into aquatic ecosystems, especially in low income-developing nations where governments are implementing stricter regulations for industrial wastewater. In this context, this work is focused on the application of xanthate-modified alginates for the removal of Pb(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solutions. In order to confirm the presence of xanthate groups alongside alginate chains, characterization by second-derivative FT-IR was carried out and significance evidence attributed to xanthate groups was found at around 1062-1079 cm^-1, 829-845 cm^-1 and 620-602 cm^-1. In addition to this, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry were employed to explore thermal properties of modified alginates. According to these results, enthalpy changes (∆H) characteristic of dehydration and collapse of biopolymeric structure were estimated as +11.41 J/g and -6.83 J/g, respectively. Furthermore, the presence of S element was confirmed by EDS mapping technique, whereas FESEM image showed a cracked and homogeneous surface distribution. On the other hand, the effect of important parameters such as pH, dosage, initial concentration as well as Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm were deeply discussed. Finally, rheological measurements were performed aiming to investigate the gel-like viscoelastic features associated to nickel xanthate compound.

Engineering Fluorescent Gold Nanoclusters Using Xanthate-Functionalized Hydrophilic Polymers: Toward Enhanced Monodispersity and Stability

We introduce xanthate-functionalized poly(cyclic imino ethers)s (PCIEs), specifically poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) and poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazine) given their stealth characteristics, as an attractive alternative to conventional thiol-based ligands for the synthesis of highly monodisperse and fluorescent gold nanoclusters (AuNCs). The xanthate in the PCIEs interacts with Au ions, acting as a well-controlled template for the direct formation of PCIE-AuNCs. This method yields red-emitting AuNCs with a narrow emission peak (λ_em = 645 nm), good quantum yield (4.3-4.8%), long fluorescence decay time (∼722-844 ns), and unprecedented product yield (>98%). The PCIE-AuNCs exhibit long-term colloidal stability, biocompatibility, and antifouling properties, enabling a prolonged blood circulation, lower nonspecific accumulation in major organs, and better renal clearance when compared with AuNCs without polymer coating. The advances made here in the synthesis of metal nanoclusters using xanthate-functionalized PCIEs could propel the production of highly monodisperse, biocompatible, and renally clearable nanoprobes in large-scale for different theranostic applications.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of a zinc xanthate complex containing the 2,2'-bi-pyridine ligand

In the title compound, (2,2'-bi-pyridine-κ2 N,N')bis-(2-meth-oxy-ethyl xanthato-κS)zinc(II), [Zn(C4H7O2S2)2(C10H8N2)], the ZnII ion is coordinated to two N atoms of the 2,2'-bi-pyridine ligand and two S atoms from two 2-meth-oxy-ethyl xanthate ligands. The ZnII ion lies on a crystallographic twofold rotation axis and has distorted tetra-hedral coordination geometry. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming supramolecular chains propagating along the a-axis direction. Weak intra-molecular C-H⋯S hydrogen bonds are also observed. The inter-molecular contacts in the crystal were further analysed using Hirshfield surface analysis, which indicates that the most significant contacts are H⋯H (36.3%), followed by S⋯H/H⋯S (24.7%), C⋯H/H⋯C (15.1%), O⋯H/H⋯O (14.4%), N⋯H/H⋯N (4.1%) and C⋯C (2.9%).

The novel economical synthesis and antimicrobial activity of a trithiocarbonate derivative

The compound diethyl 2,2'-(thiocarbonyl-bis(sulfanediyl))-diacetate 4 belongs to the trithiocarbonate class containing a trithiocarbonate function group flanked by ethyl acetate. In this procedure, a novel economic synthesis route to obtain compound 4 is described. This compound proved to possess broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity both in vitro and in vivo, and could be used as a lead compound. It is worth mentioning that this compound has been patented [No. US 9,988,348 B1; date of patent: June 5, 2018].

Colloidal and Immobilized Nanoparticles of Lead Xanthates

Although nanoparticles of heavy metal xanthates and their hydrosols can play important roles in froth flotation, environmental issues, analytics, and manufacturing of metal sulfide nanocomposites, they have received little attention. We studied colloidal solutions and immobilized particles prepared via interaction of aqueous lead nitrate with alkyl xanthates applying UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurement, thermogravimetry analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The hydrodynamic diameter of colloidal particles of Pb(SSCOR)₂ decreased from 500 to 50 nm with an increase in the alkyl radical length and the initial xanthate to lead ratio (X/Pb); the zeta potential magnitude varied similarly, although it remained negative. The effect of pH in the range of 4.5-11 was minor, but the colloids produced using excess of Pb²⁺ in alkaline media were close to PbX and decomposed much easier than PbX₂. The uptake of lead xanthates on supports was generally low because of negative charges of the colloids; however, 50-100 nm thick PbX₂ films were deposited on PbS and SiO₂ from the media of X/Pb < 2 and pH < 9 because of preadsorption of Pb²⁺, while nanorods formed on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite.

Synthesis, spectroscopic, DFT and in vitro biological studies of vanadium(III) complexes of aryldithiocarbonates

Vanadium(III) tris(dithiocarbonates), [(ROCS₂)₃V] (R=o-, m-, p-CH₃C₆H₄ and 4-Cl-3-CH₃C₆H₃) and donor stabilized addition complexes [(ROCS₂)₂V(Cl)·L] [L=NC₅H₅ or P(C₆H₅)₃] were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, mass, TGA/DTA, SEM magnetic susceptibility and heteronuclear NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ³¹P) spectroscopic studies. The cytotoxicity of the complexes was measured in vitro using the cultivated human cell lines. In addition, the antioxidant activities of the ligands and its vanadium complexes were also investigated through their scavenging effect on DPPH radicals. The antimicrobial activity of ligands and some complexes has been conducted against three bacterial strains and fungus. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations of ligands and vanadium complexes were performed by the DFT/B3LYP/LANL2DZ method to obtain the optimized molecular geometry, vibrational frequencies, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), thermodynamic properties and various other quantum-mechanical parameters.

Preparation and characterization of colloidal copper xanthate nanoparticles

Colloids formed by the direct interaction of aqueous Cu²⁺ ions and xanthates were characterized along with their precipitates incorporating dixanthogen.

Surface plasmon resonance in surfactant coated copper sulfide nanoparticles: Role of the structure of the capping agent

HYPOTHESIS

The optical properties of as-synthesized CuS nanoparticles are affected by shape, size and morphology and exhibit increased optical absorbance in the infrared range due to localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), which is also affected by these parameters. An additional parameter which affects the LSPR-related absorbance is crystallinity of the surfactant coating.

EXPERIMENTS

CuS nanoparticles with varying morphologies were synthesized using a single source, single surfactant/solvent route. Thereafter, the particles were heat treated at temperatures varying from 130 °C to 230 °C with and without protective environment. Prior to and following the treatments, the particles were characterized using various techniques. Additionally, temperature resolved structural study and thermal analysis of the surfactant coating were performed.

FINDINGS

We confirm that the previously reported effects of particle dimensions and chemical composition on LSPR apply for the synthesized particles. Moreover, we report an additional, previously unreported effect, connecting the crystal structure of the nanoparticle surfactant coating to LSPR. This in turn allows control over LSPR peak position by varying the degree of crystallinity of the capping surfactant layer. Thermal study of the surfactant coating showed gradual structural transition and high dependence of phase transformation on atmospheric environment during treatment.

Synthetic, spectral, thermal and powder X-ray diffraction studies of bis(O-alkyldithiocarbonato-S,S') antimony(III) dialkyldithiocarbamates

Compounds of antimony(III) with mixed sulfur donor ligands of the type [(ROCS2)2SbS2CNR'2] (where, R=C2H5, and (i)C3H7; R'=CH3, C2H5, and CH2CH2) have been synthesized using anhydrous acetone as a solvent by the one pot reaction of antimony(III) tris(O-alkyldithiocarbonato-S,S'), antimony(III) chloride and sodium/ammonium salt of dialkyldithiocarbamate in 2:1:3molar ratios. These compounds have been characterized by physicochemical [melting points, molecular weight determinations, elemental analyses (C, H, N, S, and Sb)], spectral [UV, IR, Far-IR and NMR ((1)H and (13)C)] studies. In IR spectra strong band was observed at 1028-1051cm(-1) which indicates anisobidentate mode of bonding of both the ligands with antimony metal. NMR spectral data of these compounds show expected proton resonance due to corresponding moieties. The powder XRD, ESI-Mass and thermal (TG and DTA) studies have also been performed to get the information about geometrical parameters, fragmentation pattern and last thermal decomposition product, respectively. The powder XRD studies lead to the structural properties of the synthesized compounds and show the nanorange crystallite size and monoclinic crystal system. Thermal data of these compounds indicate the formation of antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) as a final thermal degradation product which is used in a number of ways like switching devices television cameras and microwave devices.

Synthesis, characterization, and relative stabilities of self-assembled monolayers on gold generated from bidentate n-alkyl xanthic acids

A series of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold were generated by the adsorption of n-alkyl xanthic acids (NAXAs) having the general formula CH3(CH2)nOCS2H (n = 12-15). The structural features of these SAMs were characterized by optical ellipsometry, contact angle goniometry, polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This series of xanthate SAMs were compared to SAMs generated from the corresponding n-alkanethiols and aliphatic dithiocarboxylic acids (ADTCAs). The collected data indicate that the NAXAs generate densely packed and well-ordered monolayers. The contact angles of hexadecane on the xanthate monolayers exhibited a large "odd-even" effect similar to that produced by the ADTCA SAMs. The relative stability of these bidentate xanthate SAMs was evaluated by monitoring the changes in ellipsometric thicknesses and wettability as a function of time under various conditions. The results demonstrate that SAMs formed from NAXAs are much less stable than analogous n-alkanethiolate and ADTCA SAMs.

Remediation of arsenic and lead with nanocrystalline zinc sulfide

Nanocrystalline (1.7 ± 0.3 nm) zinc sulfide with a specific surface area up to 360 m(2) g(-1) was prepared from the thermal decomposition of a single-source precursor, zinc ethylxanthate. Zinc ethylxanthate decomposes to cubic zinc sulfide upon exposure to temperatures greater than or equal to 125 °C. The resulting zinc sulfide was tested as a water impurity extractant. The target impurities used in this study were As(5+), As(3+), and Pb(2+). The reaction of the nanocrystalline ZnS with Pb(2+) proceeds as a replacement reaction where solid PbS is formed and Zn(2+) is released into the aqueous system. Removal of lead to a level of less than two parts per billion is achievable. The results of a detailed kinetics experiment between the ZnS and Pb(2+) are included in this study. Unlike the instance of lead, both As(5+) and As(3+) adsorb on the surface of the ZnS extractant as opposed to an ion-exchange process. An uptake capacity of > 25 mg g(-1) for the removal of As(5+) is possible. The uptake of As(3+) appears to proceed by a slower process than that of the As(5+) with a capacity of nearly 20 mg g(-1). The nanocrystalline zinc sulfide was extremely successful for the removal of arsenic and lead from simulated oil sand tailing pond water.

Hierarchical superstructure of alkylamine-coated ZnS nanoparticle assemblies

We describe methodology for producing highly uniform, ordered and reproducible superstructures of surfactant-coated ZnS nanorod and nanowire assemblies, and propose a predictive multiscale "packing model" for superstructure formation based on electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction data on the superstructure, as well as on individual components of the nanostructured system. The studied nanoparticles showed a hierarchical structure starting from the individual faceted ZnS inorganic cores, onto which the crystalline surfactant molecules are adsorbed, to the superstructure of the nanoparticle arrays. Our results point out the critical role of the surfactant headgroup and polarity in nanoparticle assembly, and demonstrate the relationship between the molecular structure of the surfactant and the resulting superstructure of the nanoparticle assemblies.

Reaction of alkylamine surfactants with carbon dioxide: relevance to nanocrystal synthesis

Exposure of tetradecylamine, hexadecylamine, and octadecylamine to CO(2) results in their transformation to alkylammonium alkylcarbamate (AAAC) pairs, which we find is a major source of irreproducibility in nanoparticle synthesis. Controlled exposure to CO(2) allows for highly uniform, ultranarrow ZnS nanorods coated with tetradecylamine to be reproducibly obtained in a single step. The crystal structures of the alkylamines and their AAAC analogs were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction and their isostructural three-dimensional unit cells are reported.