Oxyhalogen−Sulfur Chemistry: Kinetics and Mechanism of Oxidation of N-Acetylthiourea by Chlorite and Chlorine Dioxide

Iron species activating chlorite: Neglected selective oxidation for water treatment

Chlorite (ClO₂ ^-) is the by-product of the water treatment process carried out using chlorine dioxide (ClO₂) as an effective disinfectant and oxidant; however, the reactivation of ClO₂ ^- has commonly been overlooked. Herein, it was unprecedentedly found that ClO₂ ^- could be activated by iron species (Fe_b: Fe⁰, Fe^II, or Fe^III), which contributed to the synchronous removal of ClO₂ ^- and selective oxidative treatment of organic contaminants. However, the above-mentioned activation process presented intensive H⁺-dependent reactivity. The introduction of Fe_b significantly shortened the autocatalysis process via the accumulation of Cl^- or ClO^- during the protonation of ClO₂ ^- driven by ultrasonic field. Furthermore, it was found that the interdependent high-valent-Fe-oxo and ClO₂, after identification, were the dominant active species for accelerating the oxidation process. Accordingly, the unified mechanisms based on coordination catalysis ([Fe ^N (H₂O) _a (ClO _x ^m-) _b ] ^{n +}-P) were putative, and this process was thus used to account for the pollutant removal by the Fe_b-activated protonated ClO₂ ^-. This study pioneers the activation of ClO₂ ^- for water treatment and provides a novel strategy for "waste treating waste". Derivatively, this activation process further provides the preparation methods for sulfones and ClO₂, including the oriented oxidation of sulfoxides to sulfones and the production of ClO₂ for on-site use.

Compatible Kinetic Model for Quantitative Description of Dual-Clock Behavior of the Complex Thiourea-Iodate Reaction

The thiourea-iodate reaction has been investigated simultaneously by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Absorbance-time traces measured at the isosbestic point of the iodine-triiodide system have revealed a special dual-clock behavior. During the first kinetic stage of the title reaction, iodine suddenly appears only after a well-defined time lag when thiourea is totally consumed due to the rapid thiourea-iodine system giving rise to a substrate-depletive clock reaction. After this delay, iodine in the system starts to build up suddenly to a certain level, where the system remains for quite a while. During this period, hydrolysis of formamidine disulfide as well as the formamidine disulfide-iodine system along with the Dushman reaction and subsequent reactions of the intermediates governs the parallel formation and disappearance of iodine, resulting in a fairly constant absorbance. The kinetic phase mentioned above is then followed by a more slowly increasing sigmoidally shaped profile that is characteristic of autocatalysis-driven clock reactions. HPLC studies have clearly shown that the thiourea dioxide-iodate system is responsible mainly for the latter characteristics. Of course, depending on the initial concentration ratio of the reactants, the absorbance-time curve may level off or reach a maximum followed by a declining phase. With an excess of thiourea, iodine may completely disappear from the solution as a result of the thiourea dioxide-iodine reaction. In the opposite case, with an excess of iodate, the final absorbance reaches a finite value, and at the same time, iodide ion will disappear completely from the solution due to the well-known Dushman (iodide-iodate) reaction. In addition, we have also shown that in the case of the formamidine disulfide-iodine reaction, unexpectedly the triiodide ion is more reactive toward formamidine disulfide than iodine. This feature can readily be interpreted by the enhancement of the rate of formation of the transition complex containing oppositely charged reactants. A 25-step kinetic model is proposed with just 10 fitted parameters to fit the 68 kinetic traces measured in the thiourea-iodate system and the second, but slower, kinetic phase of the thiourea-iodine reaction. The comprehensive kinetic model is constituted in such a way as to remain coherent in quantitatively describing all of the most important characteristics of the formamidine disulfide-iodine, thiourea dioxide-iodine, and thiourea dioxide-iodate systems.

S-oxygenation of thiocarbamides V: oxidation of tetramethylthiourea by chlorite in slightly acidic media

The reaction between tetramethylthiourea (TTTU) and slightly acidic chlorite has been studied. The reaction is much faster than comparable oxidations of the parent thiourea compound as well as other substituted thioureas. The stoichiometry of the reaction in excess oxidant showed a complete desulfurization of the thiocarbamide to yield the corresponding urea and sulfate: 2ClO2(-) + (Me2N)2C ═ S + H2O → (Me2N)2C ═ O + SO4(2-) + 2Cl(-) + 2H(+). The reaction mechanism is unique in that the most stable metabolite before formation of the corresponding urea is the S-oxide. This is one of the rare occasions in which a low-molecular-weight S-oxide has been stabilized without the aid of large steric groups. ESI-MS data show almost quantitative formation of the S-oxide and negligible formation of the sulfinic and sulfonic acids. TTTU, in contrast to other substituted thioureas, can only stabilize intermediate oxoacids, before formation of sulfate, in the form of zwitterions. With a stoichiometric excess of TTTU over oxidant, the TTTU dimer is the predominant product. Chlorine dioxide, which is formed from the reaction of excess chlorite and HOCl, is a very important reactant in the overall mechanism. It reacts rapidly with TTTU to reform ClO2(-). Oxidation of TTTU by chlorite has a complex dependence on acid as a result of chlorous acid dissociation and protonation of the thiol group on TTTU in high-acid conditions, which renders the thiol center a less effective nucleophile.

Oxyhalogen–Sulfur Chemistry: Oxidation of a Thiourea Dimer, Formamidine Disulfide, by Chlorine Dioxide

The oxidation of formamidine disulfide, FDS, the dimer of thiourea, by aqueous chlorine dioxide has been studied in highly acidic and mildly acidic media. FDS is one of the possible oxidation intermediates formed in the oxidation of thiourea by oxyhalogens to urea and sulfate. The reaction is exceedingly slow, giving urea and sulfate with a stoichiometric ratio of 5 : 14 FDS to chlorine dioxide after an incubation period of up to 72 h and only in highly acidic media which discourages the disproportionation of chlorine dioxide to the oxidatively inert chlorate. Mass spectrometric data suggest that the oxidative pathway proceeds predominantly through the sulfinic acid, proceeding next to the products sulfate and urea, while by-passing the sulfonic acid. Transient formation of the unstable sulfenic acid was also not observed.

Organosulfur oxoacids. Part 2. A novel dimethylthiourea metabolite — Synthesis and characterization of the surprisingly stable and inert dimethylaminoiminomethane sulfonic acid

A new metabolite of the biologically active thiocarbamide dimethylthiourea (DMTU) has been synthesized and characterized. DMTU’s metabolic activation in the physiological environment is expected to be dominated by S-oxygenation, which produces, successively, the sulfenic, sulfinic, and sulfonic acids before forming sulfate and dimethylurea. Only the sulfinic and sulfonic acids are stable enough to be isolated. This manuscript reports on the first synthesis, isolation, and characterization of the sulfonic acid: dimethylaminoiminomethanesulfonic acid (DMAIMSOA). It crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pbca space group and exists as a zwitterion in its solid crystal form. The negative charge is delocalized over the sulfonic acid oxygens and the positive charge is concentrated over the planar N–C–N framework rather than strictly on the sp2-hybridized cationic carbon center. As opposed to its sulfinic acid analogue, DMAIMSOA is extremely inert in acidic environments and can maintain its titer for weeks at pH 6 and below. It is, however, reasonably reactive at physiological pH conditions and can be oxidized to dimethylurea and sulfate by mild oxidants such as aqueous iodine.