Mutual Transformations of Polysulfide Chromophore Species in Sodalite‐Group Minerals: A DFT Study on S6 Decomposition

Abstract

AbstractIt is known that various polysulfide species determine the color of sodalite‐group minerals (haüyne, lazurite, and slyudyankaite), and that heating induces their transformations and color change, but the mechanisms of the transitions are unknown. A prominent example is the decay of cyclic S6 molecule. Using density‐functional simulations, we explore its main decay pathways into the most probable final reaction products (the pairs of radical anions S3⋅−+S3⋅− and S2⋅−+S4⋅−). It was found that the most favorable reaction path involves initial capture of one electron by the S6 molecule, which greatly facilitates its decay of S6 and leads to the opening of the S6 cycle, and subsequent decomposition of the thus formed chain radical anion, with a limiting energy barrier of ~0.4 eV. Neutral polysulfide molecules capture one electron with a significant energy reduction. The radical anions Sn⋅− (n=2−6) are the most stable ones among corresponding species with the same n values and different charges. The capture of the second electron by S6⋅− occurs with a huge energy barrier (~2 eV). The results of the DFT calculations are in agreement with experimental data on the products of thermal conversions of extra‐framework S‐bearing groups in sodalite‐group minerals.