Homocyclic Sulfur Oxides

Abstract

Within the last decade the number of simple, nonpolymeric sulfur oxides has tripled, and sulfur is now the element with the largest number of oxides. Excluding polymeric compounds, five binary sulfur-oxygen compounds were known in 1970: the short-lived, di-atomic sulfur monoxide (SO), the well known sulfur dioxide (SO₂), two molecular forms of sulfur trioxide (monomeric SO₃ and the heterocyclic S₃O₉), and the long disputed disulfur monoxide (S₂O). Several reviews covering the chemistry of these important compounds have been published.^1–4