The Chemistry of Vulcanization. IX. Accelerating Mechanism of 2-Aminothiobenzothiazole
Abstract 2-Aminobenzothiazole, i.e., 2-aminobenzothiazolylaulfenamide, MSNH2 was used as a model of the commercial sulfenamide type accelerators. Behavior of MSNH2 was studied in diphenylmethane, DPM, which served as a hydrocarbon containing α-methylenic hydrogen. MSNH2 decomposes in DPM at 140–160° to give MS· and ·NH2 together with a minor amount of free sulfur radical. This suggests homolytic dissociation of the S—N bond as well as the C—S bond of MSNH2, though the latter bond dissociates in minor degree. Dissociation of both bonds makes the reaction sequence complicated. When sulfur was added to the MSNH— DPM system, the radical MS· (or M·) opens the sulfur ring to accelerate the reaction of DPM with sulfur. The presence of sulfur results in the less complicated reaction products. The activating mechanism of zinc butyrate in the reaction involving MSNH2, sulfur and DPM is the same as that involving thiazole type accelerators. However, the zinc salt of MBT which is produced from MSNH2 and zinc butyrate interacts with the radical ·NH2, giving an intermediate 2-amino-benzothiazole, MNH2. The latter reacts with zinc butyrate to give N-(2-benzo-thiazolyl) butyramide, RCONHM. Evolution of ammonia was observed even in the presence of sulfur and zinc butyrate.