natriumtetrasulfat

Natriumtetrasulfat is a chemical compound with the formula Na2S4O6. It is the sodium salt of tetrasulfuric acid, a polythionic acid. This compound is also known as sodium dithiosulfato-sulfate. In its solid form, it appears as a white crystalline powder. It is soluble in water, forming a neutral solution. Natriumtetrasulfat can be prepared by the oxidation of sodium thiosulfate with iodine in a neutral or slightly alkaline solution, or by the reaction of sodium sulfite with sulfur monochloride. It is a relatively stable compound under normal conditions, though it can decompose upon heating. The tetrasulfat anion, S4O6(2-), is characterized by a chain of four sulfur atoms, with the two terminal sulfur atoms bonded to oxygen atoms in a sulfonate group (-SO3-). The two central sulfur atoms are linked by a sulfur-sulfur single bond. Natriumtetrasulfat has found applications in analytical chemistry, particularly as a titrant in iodometric titrations for the determination of oxidizing agents. It can also be used in photographic processes and in the synthesis of other sulfur-containing compounds. Its properties are distinct from other sodium sulfur oxyanions like thiosulfate (S2O3^2-) or dithionate (S2O6^2-).