The oxidation of potassium dixanthates to tetraxanthogens

Abstract

Alkyl monoxanthates are used extensively in sulphide ore flotation and there is an abundant literature1 dealing with their chemistry and physical properties. Very little seems to be known of dixanthates. The insertion of CS₂ into the potassium salts of ethylene glycol, diethylene glyool, and triethylene glycol was reported by Shupe.Woods has shown recently that oxidation of the ethyl xanthate ion to dixantho-gen plays a major role in ore flotation processes when ethylxanthate is used as a collector. The ease or otherwise of this oxidation and the nature of the oxidation product is likely, therefore, to have a marked influence on the efficiency of the process. A study of the oxidation of dixanthates is the purpose of the present work.