Aromatic hydrocarbon-catalyzed direct reaction of sulfur and sodium in a heterogeneous system: selective and facile synthesis of sodium monosulfide and disulfide.

Sodium disulfide and monosulfide were selectively formed via the direct reaction of sulfur and an equimolar amount of sodium in 1,2-dimethoxyethane at 70 degrees C in the presence of a catalytic amount of aromatic hydrocarbons and ketone.