The change of carbon disulphide into a gaseous product condensable and explosive near the temperature of liquid air

In a note communicated to the Society recently we described the preparation and properties of a polymeric form of carbon monosulphide. It was to be expected that carbon monosulphide would be a gas boiling at about –130 C.; yet the interaction of thiophosgene and nickel carbonyl at temperatures as low as –20° C. resulted in the formation of a polymeride, while when the same reaction was tried at –80°C. no change could be observed in the course of several hours. The decomposition of carbon disulphide by light, studied by Sidot, also produces a polymeric form of carbon monosulphide, and we have shown that when this change is effected at –80°C. by means of ultra-violet light a similar substance is apparently formed.