INVESTIGATIONS ON THE SULFITE DEGRADATION OF POLYTHIONATES

Sulfite attacks pentathionate at the γ-S-atom of the sulfur chain leading to thiosulfate and tetrathionate as reaction products. Excess of sulfite leads to degradation of the intermediate tetrathionate to thiosulfate and trithionate as final products. In this paper we report on the reaction of 35S-labelled tetrathionate and pentathionate with sulfite.