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sulfonium salt

chemical compound
Also known as: sulphonium salt

Quick Summary

A sulfonium salt is a chemical compound with a positively charged sulfur atom bonded to three organic groups, represented as SR3+. These salts are formed when sulfides react with alkyl halides. For example, trimethyl sulfonium bromide is created from dimethyl sulfide and methyl bromide.12

Sulfonium salts are significant in biological processes, such as methylation, with S-adenosylmethionine being a key example. They can also react with bases to form sulfur ylides, which are important reagents in organic synthesis for creating epoxides.2

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