Sodium ethyl xanthate Sodium ethyl xanthate Sodium ethyl xanthate (SEX) is an organosulfur compound with the chemical formula CHCHOCSNa. It is a pale yellow powder, which is usually obtained as the dihydrate. Sodium ethyl xanthate is used in the mining industry as a flotation agent. A closely related potassium ethyl xanthate (KEX) is obtained as the anhydrous salt. As with most xanthates, sodium ethyl xanthate can be prepared by treating sodium ethoxide with carbon disulfide: Sodium ethyl xanthate is a pale yellow powder. It is relatively stable in water at high pH if not heated. It rapidly hydrolyses at pH <9 at 25
Ethyl sulfate 170 °C in a considerable excess of sulfuric acid, the ethyl sulfate breaks down into ethylene and sulfuric acid. The mechanism of the formation of ethyl sulfate, diethyl ether, and ethylene is based on the reaction between ethanol and sulfuric acid, which involves protonation of the ethanolic oxygen to form the oxonium ion. Ethyl sulfate acculates in hair after chronic alcohol consumption and its detection can be used as a biomarker for alcohol consumption. Ethyl sulfate can exist in salt forms, such as sodium ethyl sulfate, potassium ethyl sulfate, and calcium ethyl sulfate. The salt can be formed by adding