Sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate is the

organosulfur compound Organosulfur chemistry is the study of the properties and synthesis of organosulfur compounds, which are organic compounds that contain sulfur. They are often associated with foul odors, but many of the sweetest compounds known are organosulfur der ...

with the formula . It is one of the simplest organic

dithiocarbamate In organic chemistry, a dithiocarbamate is a chemical compound with the general formula . It contains the functional group with the Chemical structure, structure . It is the analog of a carbamate in which both oxygen atoms are replaced by sulfur ...

s. It is a white or pale yellow, water soluble solid. The compound is a precursor to

fungicide Fungicides are pesticides used to kill parasitic fungi or their spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in losses of yield and quality. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals, ...

s and rubber chemicals.

Preparation

Sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate typically crystallizes from water as the dihydrate NaS₂CN(CH₃)₂^.2H₂O. The anhydrous salt and the trihydrate are often used interchangeably. Sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate is obtained by treating

carbon disulfide Carbon disulfide (also spelled as carbon disulphide) is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula and structure . It is also considered as the anhydride of thiocarbonic acid. It is a colorless, flammable, neurotoxic liquid that is used as ...

with

dimethylamine Dimethylamine is an organic compound with the formula (CH3)2NH. This secondary amine is a colorless, flammable gas with an ammonia-like odor. Dimethylamine is commonly encountered commercially as a solution in water at concentrations up to around ...

in the presence of

sodium hydroxide Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations and hydroxide anions . Sodium hydroxide is a highly corrosive base (chemistry), ...

: :CS₂ + HN(CH₃)₂ + NaOH → NaS₂CN(CH₃)₂ + H₂O Other

s can be prepared similarly from secondary amines and carbon disulfide. They are used as

chelating agents Chelation () is a type of bonding of ions and their molecules to metal ions. It involves the formation or presence of two or more separate coordinate bonds between a polydentate (multiple bonded) ligand and a single central metal atom. These l ...

for transition metal ions and as precursors to

herbicide Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weed killers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page f ...

s and

vulcanization Vulcanization (British English: vulcanisation) is a range of processes for hardening rubbers. The term originally referred exclusively to the treatment of natural rubber with sulfur, which remains the most common practice. It has also grown to ...

reagents.

Uses

left, 222px, Iron tris(dimethyldithiocarbamate) (Fe(S₂CNMe₂)₃) is illustrative of hundreds of known dithiocarbamate complexes. It is a component of various

pesticide Pesticides are substances that are used to control pests. They include herbicides, insecticides, nematicides, fungicides, and many others (see table). The most common of these are herbicides, which account for approximately 50% of all p ...

s and rubber chemicals in the form of its

salts In chemistry, a salt or ionic compound is a chemical compound consisting of an assembly of positively charged ions ( cations) and negatively charged ions (anions), which results in a compound with no net electric charge (electrically neutral). ...

. Well established derivatives include potassium dimethyldithiocarbamate) as well as its complexes zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate, ferric dimethyldithiocarbamate, and nickel bis(dimethyldithiocarbamate). Oxidation gives

thiram Thiram is the simplest thiuram disulfide and the oxidized dimer of dimethyldithiocarbamate. It is used as a fungicide, ectoparasiticide to prevent fungal diseases in seed and crops and similarly as an animal repellent to protect fruit trees and ...

References

{{reflist Dithiocarbamates Pesticides