Chemical Properties
Dark red, oily liquid which does not wet glass. M.p. -46°C;
dissociates on heating into the elements and therefore can be
distilled without decomposition only in high vacuum.
In H2O, hydrolyzes to HBr, SO2 and S. Soluble in CS2, CCl4 and
C6H6.
Preparation
94 ml. of Br2 is slowly added to 119 g. of S (recrystallized
from CS3) in a dry 500-ml. pressure flask capable of withstanding
20 atm. of internal pressure. (If proper precautions are observed,
a beer bottle can be used.) The mixture is heated for two hours on
a steam bath. The dark-red liquid product is distilled at 0.1 mm.
The first cut contains primarily unreacted Br2; the main fraction
distilling between 46 and 48°C is pure S2Br2, while crystalline S
remains in the distillation flask.
