Thermal properties of N-ethyl-N-phenyl-dithiocarbamates and their influence on the kinetics of cure

The thermal properties (in the temperature range of 100-250degreesC) of N-ethyl-N-phenyldithiocarbamate complexes of Zn(II), Co(III), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) and their influence on the kinetics of cure have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (in nitrogen). It was found that Zn(II), Co(III) and Pb(II) dithiocarbamates melted without further effects, while the melting of Ni(II) and Cu(II) dithiocarbamates is accompanied with decomposition. From the kinetic point of view, the dithiocarbamates decrease the values of the reaction order and the values of rate constants follow this order (with respect to the metal ion): Zn(II)<Cu(II)<Pb(II)<Ni(II)<Co(III).