Studies on the stability of dithiocarbamic acids.

The influence of the substituent on the nitrogen atom with respect to the rate and pattern of decomposition of N,N-disubstituted dithiocarbamie acids has been studied. The rates of decomposition with respect to such variables as pH, temperature (activation parameters) and heavy water medium (solvent isotope effect), have been determined, and a mechanism to accommodate the observed results has been proposed.