Abstract
Homoleptic mercaptides of n-dodecanethiol (i.e., organosulfur compounds with formula: Me(SC12H25)X, where X is the oxidation state of the metal, Me) are soluble, at low concentrations, in paraffin wax, and these solid solutions can be used as fuel for fabricating paraffin candles with colored flames (or UV/NIR-light emitting flames). Depending on the nature of the required metal, the preparation of n-dodecanethiol salts can be done by adopting different synthetic strategies. Here, the main methods for synthesizing n-dodecanethiol mercaptides are described; these methods are based on: (1) neutralization of the thiol with metal hydroxide in an alcoholic medium, (2) double-displacement reaction in acidic or basic environments, (3) synthesis based on the mercaptide solubility product (KSP) in water, and (4) direct reaction of the thiol with the elemental metal in an active form. The most important issues related to the preparation of the mercaptide through these chemical reactions (e.g., mercaptide purification, variation of the metal's oxidation number, mercaptide XRD characterization, etc.) are also analyzed in some detail.