PURPOSE: To produce the titled substance useful as an intermediate raw material for pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals at a low cost with little produc tion of industrial wastes, by reacting a mixture of a 2-mercaptobenzothiazole compound and solid sulfur with chlorine in the presence or absence of an organic solvent.
CONSTITUTION: A 2-mercaptobenzothiazole compound of formula I (R is methyl, halogen or H) and solid sulfur are made to react with chlorine by solid-vapor reaction or in a state suspended or dissolved in an organic solvent. After completion of the reaction, by-produced hydrogen chloride and produced unreacted sulfur chloride are neutralized with dilute alkali and separated and removed as precipitated sulfur. 2-Chlorobenzothiazole attached to the separated sulfur or dispersed in the neutralization water can be extracted and separated in high efficiency by the addition of an organic solvent (e.g. benzene) having low compatibility with water. The separated sulfur can be reused.
TAKASHITA KATSUSHIGE
KOIZUMI TATSUYA
