Pyrosulfate



In chemistry, disulfate or pyrosulfate is the anion with the molecular formula. Disulfate is the IUPAC name. It has a dichromate-like structure and can be visualised as two corner-sharing SO4 tetrahedra, with a bridging oxygen atom. In this anion, sulfur has an oxidation state of +6. Disulfate is the conjugate base of the hydrogen disulfate (hydrogen pyrosulfate) ion, which in turn is the conjugate base of disulfuric acid (pyrosulfuric acid).

Role in sulfation
Industrial production of sulfate ester-based surfactants involves the reaction (sulfation) of fatty alcohols with sulfur trioxide. For example, dodecyl alcohol is sulfated using sulfur trioxide. The reaction proceeds by initial formation of the pyrosulfate:
 * 2 SO3 + ROH → ROSO2\sO\sSO3H
 * ROSO2\sO\sSO3H -> ROSO3H  +  SO3

Several million tons are produced annually.