In organosulfur chemistry, a Bunte salt is an archaic name for salts with the formula R−S−SO−3Na+. They are also called S-alkylthiosulfates or S-arylthiosulfates. These compounds are typically derived from alkylation on the pendant sulfur of sodium thiosulfate:
RX + Na2S2O3 → RS−SO−3Na+ + NaX They have been used as intermediates in the synthesis of thiols. They are also used to generate unsymmetrical disulfides:
RS−SO−3Na+ + NaSR' → RS−SR' + Na2SO3 According to X-ray crystallography, they adopt the expected structure with tetrahedral sulfur(VI) atom, a sulfur-sulfur single bond, and three equivalent sulfur-oxygen bonds.
See also Thiosulfonates are organosulfur compounds with the formula RSO2S− and RSO2SR'
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