Identification of the Molecular Species Responsible for the Initiation of Amorphous Dithiazine Formation in Laboratory Studies of 1,3,5-Tris (hydroxyethyl)-hexahydro-s-triazine as a Hydrogen Sulfide Scavenger

Amorphous dithiazine is produced from a solution of tris-(2-hyroxyethyl)-hexahydro-s-triazine (I) that is heavily consumed by hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Previously, it has been reported that the chemical structure of amorphous dithiazine is a polymeric structure which involves opening of the dithiazine ring. Evidence is presented here that the first step in this polymerization reaction is conversion of the terminal hydroxyl functionality into a terminal thiol. Thereafter, the thiol initiates the ring opening of the dithiazine to yield a polymeric, highly insoluble material. It has been observed that the critical chemical species in the initiation of this chain reaction is the bisulfide anion. This bisulfide anion is produced from the reaction of H2S with ethanolamine liberated in the sulfur insertion reaction undergone by tris-(2-hyroxyethyl)-hexahydro-s-triazine (I). This process has been artificially induced by the reaction of monomeric or crystalline 5-hydroxyethyldithiazine (II) and ethanolammonium hydrosulfide.