Process for preparing organic disulfides

A process for preparing organic disulfides free of sulfinic acid hich comprises reacting in the liquid phase an organic sulfonyl halide of the formula, RSO.sub.2 X, wherein X is a halogen and R is an organic radical selected from the group consisting of:

• linear or branched alkyl radicals containing 1 to 18 carbon atoms;
• sutstituted benzyl radicals of the formula:
• ##STR5## wherein the substituents A.sub.1 to A.sub.3 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen and alkoxy containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms;
• cycloalkyl radicals containing 5 to 8 carbn atoms and 0 to 2 chlorine atoms;
• aromatic radicals of the formula:
• ##STR6## wherein Y.sub.1, Y.sub.2 and Y.sub.3 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl containing 1 to 12 carbon atoms, alkoxy containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenyl and a fused benzene ring formed from two adjacent Y substituents;
• heterocyclic radicals of the formula:
• ##STR7## wherein Z is either oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur, and B.sub.1 and B.sub.2 are independently selected from hydrogen, halogen and alkoxy containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, with a mercaptan of the formula, R'SH, wherein R' may be the same as R or different and is a member of the group as defined above for R, in a ratio of at least about 5 moles of mercaptan per mole of organic sulfonyl halide.