xanthate Chem.
(ˈzænθeɪt)
[f. xanthic + -ate4.]
a. A salt of xanthic (sulphocarbethylic) acid. Hence more widely, a salt or ester of any acid of the form RO·CS·SH, where R is an alkyl or similar radical. b. A compound of xanthic oxide (xanthine) with an alkali.
| 1831 [see xanthic 1 b]. 1868 Watts Dict. Chem. V. 498 Xanthate of sodium forms yellow needles. Ibid. 499 Xanthate of Antimony..forms large, lemon-yellow, triclinic crystals... Xanthate of Bismuth..crystallises in shining golden-yellow laminæ. 1887 A. M. Brown Anim. Alkaloids 79 [Xanthine] combines with the alkalies,..forming xanthates. 1895 Cross & Bevan Cellulose iii. 248 The precipitated xanthate may be treated with solutions of suitable salts of the heavy metals, and the cellulose xanthate of the metals prepared. 1945 Jrnl. Chem. Soc. 666 Debus..showed that O-ethyl S-ethyl xanthate, EtO·CS·SEt, could be readily prepared by the interaction of potassium xanthate and ethyl iodide. 1951 C. R. Noller Chem. Org. Compounds xvi. 311 The sodium alkyl xanthates are used as collecting agents in the flotation process for the concentration of ores. 1974 Encycl. Brit. Micropædia X. 777/1 The most important group of xanthates are the sodium salts produced from cellulose. |