Preparation of alkyl polysulfides

A method of producing sulfides containing the linkage CS.sub.x C which comprises reacting (A) a halide of the formula RX.sub.a with (B) a mixture of (1) ammonia or a hydrocarbyl amine containing one nitrogen atom, no more than 6 carbon atoms and having a K.sub.a of less than 1 .times. 10.sup.-9 in aqueous solution, (2) H.sub.2 S and (3) sulfur in amount of at least two moles of (A) per mole of (2) and at least one mole of sulfur per mole of (2), at a temperature of from 0.degree. to 175.degree. C. under autogenous pressure whereby a compound of the formula RS.sub.x R or (--RS.sub.x --).sub.c is formed in which process

• R is of the group consisting of aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aralkyl hydrocarbon radicals free of aliphatic unsaturation, such hydrocarbon radicals substituted with alkoxy, keto, carboxy, hydroxy, --COOR.sup.3 or --OOCR.sup.3 radicals in which R.sup.3 is a monovalent hydrocarbon radical free of aliphatic unsaturation and silylated hydrocarbon radicals of the formula ##EQU4## in which R" is an alkyl or alkoxyalkyl radical of 1 to 6 carbon atoms,
• R''' is a monovalent hydrocarbon radical free of aliphatic unsaturation, a haloaryl radical or R.sub.f CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -- in which R.sub.f is a perfluoroalkyl radical,
• R.sup.4 is a divalent or trivalent aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aralkyl hydrocarbon radical free of aliphatic unsaturation,
• y is 1 to 3,
• d is 0 to 2,
• X is bromine or chlorine,
• x is 2 to 6,
• a is 1 to 2, and
• c is an integer of at least 2.