Sulfamide

Sulfamide (systematic name sulfuric diamide) is an inorganic-organic compound with the formula H4N2O2S, often written NH2SO2NH2. It contains the sulfamide functional group, in which two amino groups are bound to a central sulfur atom double-bonded to two oxygen atoms; related substituted derivatives have the general structure R1R2N–SO2–NR3R4. Sulfamide itself is a white crystalline solid with moderate solubility in polar solvents.

Laboratory preparation of sulfamide is commonly achieved by treating sulfuryl chlorides or sulfamoyl chlorides with ammonia, or by related sulfonylation reactions that introduce the SO2(NH2)2 moiety. The S–N bonds in sulfamides confer reactivity toward nucleophiles and electrophiles, enabling formation of N‑substituted sulfamides by alkylation or acylation of the amino groups.

Sulfamide derivatives are important building blocks in organic and medicinal chemistry. Substituted sulfamides serve as bioisosteres of ureas and sulfonamides in drug design and appear in inhibitors, enzyme modulators, and agrochemicals. They are also used as intermediates for the synthesis of more complex sulfur‑containing compounds and in polymer chemistry for producing specialty materials.

As a chemical, sulfamide should be handled with standard laboratory precautions; it can be an irritant to skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. Chemical stability and hazards vary with substitution, so material-specific safety data should be consulted for handling and disposal.