Sulfonium ions

Definition

Sulfonium ions are positively charged ions where sulfur is the central atom, bonded to three organic groups and carrying a positive charge. They are formed when sulfides react with alkyl halides, resulting in the addition of an alkyl group to the sulfur atom.

Related terms

Sulfides: Organic compounds where two carbon groups are bonded to a sulfur atom, serving as the precursors to sulfonium ions.

Alkyl Halides: Organic compounds consisting of an alkyl group attached to a halogen, which react with sulfides to form sulfonium ions.

Nucleophilic Substitution: A chemical reaction in which an electron-rich nucleophile selectively bonds with or attacks the positive or partially positive charge of an atom or a group of atoms to replace a leaving group; this mechanism is involved in the formation of sulfonium ions