Stabilized sulfur dissolving compositions

A storage-stable composition for the dissolution of sulfur which comprises a major proportion of a sulfide of the formula R.sup.1 SS.sub.A SR.sup.2 where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, alkoxyalkyl or hydroxyalkyl radicals wherein the alkyl moiety has from 1 to 24 carbon atoms and A is an average number ranging from 0 to 3, a catalytic amount of a mixture of an amine and a mercaptan, and a stabilizing component effective for an in an amount sufficient to inhibit loss of catalyst activity on storage, said stabilizing component being a) a substituted phenol of the general structure ##STR5## wherein R.sup.31, R.sup.32, R.sup.33, R.sup.34 and R.sup.35 are independently hydroxy, linear or branched alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl, hydroxyalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, hydroxyaryl, alkoxyaryl, thioalkyl, thioaryl, amine alkyl or amino aryl radicals wherein the alyl moieties have from 1 to 25 carbon atoms, or b) an amine distinct from the amine in said mixture and having the structure

• R.sup.36 R.sup.37 NOR.sup.38
• wherein R.sup.36 and R.sup.37 are independently alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, hydroxyalkyl or alkoxyalkyl radicals wherein the alkyl moieties have from 1 to 25 carbon atoms and R.sup.38 is a hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, hydroxyalkyl or alkoxyalkyl radical wherein the alkyl moieties have from 1 to 25 carbon atoms.