REACTION OF ARSENIC(III) OXIDE, ARSENOUS AND ARSENIC ACIDS WITH THIOLS

Abstract

Abstract Arsenic(III) oxide and arsenous acid in water or aqueous ethanolic solutions react, at room temperature, with a variety of lipophilic and hydrophilic thiols giving quantitatively triaryl and trialkyl trithioarsenites, (ArS)3As and (RS)3As. Aqueous solutions of arsenic acid react with certain thiols giving quantitatively mixtures of trithioarsenites and disulfides, RSSR. These reactions may help towards the elucidation of the biochemistry of arsenous and arsenic acids.