Substance profile
Diphosphorus pentasulphide
Diphosphorus pentasulphide is gray to yellow-green crystals with odor of rotten eggs.
01 · Identification
What Diphosphorus pentasulphide is
Diphosphorus pentasulphide is gray to yellow-green crystals with odor of rotten eggs. Its molecular formula is P4S10 and its molecular weight is 444.6 g/mol. It boils at 515 °C, melts at 285 °C.
Under the GHS it carries the signal word Danger. It is classed as reactive agents - 2nd degree.
02 · Identifiers
Diphosphorus pentasulphide identifiers and molecular data
Diphosphorus pentasulphide CAS number and EC number
Diphosphorus pentasulphide molecular formula and molecular weight
Other names for Diphosphorus pentasulphide
- phosphorus pentasulphide
03 · GHS classification
Diphosphorus pentasulphide hazard classification
Harmonised classification under CLP Annex VI. This is the legally binding classification in the EU; other jurisdictions may differ.
Diphosphorus pentasulphide pictograms and signal word
Diphosphorus pentasulphide hazard class and category
| Hazard class | Category | From code | Pictogram |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flammable solids GHS chapter 2.7 | Category 1 or 2 | H228 | GHS02 |
| In contact with water emits flammable gases GHS chapter 2.12 | Category 1 | H260 | GHS02 |
| Acute toxicity - oral GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 4 | H302 | GHS07 |
| Acute toxicity - inhalation GHS chapter 3.1 | Category 4 | H332 | GHS07 |
| Hazardous to the aquatic environment - acute GHS chapter 4.1 | Category 1 | H400 | GHS09 |
Where two values are shown with “or”, the hazard statement is shared by more than one category or by more than one class, and the code alone does not say which. H272, for example, belongs to oxidising liquids and to oxidising solids — the physical state decides. The binding answer for a specific entry is in the CLP Annex VI table itself.
Diphosphorus pentasulphide hazard statements (H-codes)
| Code | Hazard statement |
|---|---|
| H228 | Flammable solid. |
| H260 | In contact with water releases flammable gases which may ignite spontaneously. |
| H332 | Harmful if inhaled. |
| H302 | Harmful if swallowed. |
| H400 | Very toxic to aquatic life. |
Diphosphorus pentasulphide supplemental EU statements (EUH)
| Code | Statement |
|---|---|
| EUH029 | Contact with water liberates toxic gas. |
This page lists only the codes assigned to Diphosphorus pentasulphide. The full reference lives on the hazard statements hub, the precautionary statements hub and the GHS pictograms hub.
Safety Data Sheet
Getting an SDS for Diphosphorus pentasulphide
A Safety Data Sheet is written for a product, not for a substance: the supplier of the grade you actually buy issues it, so two suppliers of Diphosphorus pentasulp… issue two different sheets. That is why there is no single authoritative SDS for a substance to download — what there is, is the job of collecting the sheets for the products you hold and keeping them current as suppliers revise them.
04 · Precautionary statements
Diphosphorus pentasulphide precautionary statements
CLP Annex VI assigns 10 precautionary statements to Diphosphorus pentasulphide. They are grouped the way a label groups them: what to do before handling, what to do when something has already happened, how to store it and how to dispose of it.
Prevention
What to do before and during handling so the hazard never happens.
Response
What to do once exposure, spillage or fire has already happened.
Disposal
What has to happen to the contents and the empty container.
Reading the notation. … is a blank the supplier fills in — not a truncated sentence.· [square brackets] mark a part printed only when it applies.
05 · Names in the regulation
Diphosphorus pentasulphide name in 23 EU languages
CLP Annex VI Part 3 is published in every language edition of the regulation, and the identification column is written out in each of them. Nothing below is translated by us: each line is the name as that edition prints it. Under Art. 18(2) the substance name from Annex VI is a lawful product identifier, so this is the wording to put on a label going to that market — and where the cell lists several designations, any one of them qualifies.
| Language | Name in CLP Annex VI Part 3 |
|---|---|
| Bulgarian български | дифосфорен пентасулфид фосфорен пентасулфид |
| Spanish español | Pentasulfuro de difósforo pentasulfuro de fósforo |
| Czech čeština | sulfid fosforečný |
| Danish dansk | diphosphorpentasulfid phosphorpentasulfid |
| German Deutsch | Diphosphorpentasulfid Phosphorpentasulfid |
| Estonian eesti | difosforpentasulfiid fosforpentasulfiid |
| Greek ελληνικά | πενταθειούχος διφωσφόρος πεντασουλφίδιο του φωσφόρου |
| English English | diphosphorus pentasulphide phosphorus pentasulphide |
| French français | pentasulfure de diphosphore pentasulfure de phosphore |
| Croatian hrvatski | difosforov pentasulfid fosforov pentasulfid |
| Italian italiano | pentasolfuro di difosforo |
| Latvian latviešu | difosfora pentasulfīds fosfora pentasulfīds |
| Lithuanian lietuvių | difosforo pentasulfidas fosforo pentasulfidas |
| Hungarian magyar | difoszfor-pentaszulfid foszfor-pentaszulfid |
| Maltese Malti | pentasulfur tad-difosforu pentasulfur tal-fosforu |
| Dutch Nederlands | difosforpentasulfide fosforpentasulfide |
| Polish polski | pentasiarczek difosforu dekasiarczek tetrafosforu |
| Portuguese português | pentassulfureto de difósforo pentassulfureto de fósforo |
| Romanian română | pentasulfură de difosfor pentasulfură fosforică |
| Slovak slovenčina | pentasulfid difosforečný sulfid fosforečný |
| Slovenian slovenščina | difosforjev pentasulfid fosforjev pentasulfid |
| Finnish suomi | difosforipentasulfidi fosforipentasulfidi |
| Swedish svenska | difosforpentasulfid fosforpentasulfid |
All 23 language editions of Annex VI carry this entry. Irish is the twenty-fourth official EU language and has no line here for a different reason: no consolidated CLP text has ever been published in Irish, so there is no Irish edition of Annex VI to quote a name from. Source: consolidated CLP, CELEX 02008R1272, language editions. © European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu — only the electronic Official Journal of the European Union is authentic.
06 · Label elements
Diphosphorus pentasulphide GHS label elements
Everything CLP Annex VI fixes for Diphosphorus pentasulphide, laid out the way it appears on a label. The greyed lines are the parts only the supplier can fill in.
Danger
Diphosphorus pentasulphide
- Flammable solid.
- In contact with water releases flammable gases which may ignite spontaneously.
- Harmful if inhaled.
- Harmful if swallowed.
- Very toxic to aquatic life.
- Contact with water liberates toxic gas.
- Do not breathe dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.
- Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
- Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
- Avoid release to the environment.
- IF SWALLOWED:
- IF INHALED:
- Call a POISON CENTER/doctor/… if you feel unwell.
- Rinse mouth.
- Collect spillage.
- Dispose of contents/container to …
Supplier name, address and telephone number· Product identifier·Nominal quantity
Need this as an actual label? Open Diphosphorus pentasulphide in the GHS label constructor →
07 · Health hazards
Diphosphorus pentasulphide health hazards and exposure limits
Diphosphorus pentasulphide occupational exposure limits
| Limit | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PEL | 1.0 [mg/m3] | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| PEL | 1 mg/m³ | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| PEL | TWA 1 mg/m3 See Appendix G | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
| REL | 1 mg/m³ | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| REL | 3 mg/m³ | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| REL | TWA 1 mg/m3 ST 3 mg/m3 | The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) |
| IDLH | 250 mg/m3 (NIOSH, 2024) | CAMEO Chemicals |
| IDLH | 250.0 [mg/m3] | Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases |
| IDLH | 250 mg/cu m | Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) |
These are United States values. The European Union sets its own indicative and binding limits, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation — not the one shown here.
08 · Physical and chemical properties
Diphosphorus pentasulphide properties
Every value is shown with the conditions it was measured under and the source it came from. Where sources disagree, all values are listed rather than one being picked — the difference is usually a different form of the substance, not an error.
Diphosphorus pentasulphide boiling point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiling point | 515 °C (959 °F) | HSDB | |
| 513.89 °C (957 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| 513.89 °C (957 °F) | at 760 mmHg | CAMEO |
Diphosphorus pentasulphide melting point
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melting point | 285 °C (545 °F) | HSDB | |
| 287.78 °C (550 °F) | NIOSH | ||
| 275 °C (527 °F) | CAMEO |
Diphosphorus pentasulphide density
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | 2.03 g/cm³ | HSDB | |
| 2.09 g/cm³ | NIOSH | ||
| 2.03 g/cm³ | at 20 °C | CAMEO |
Diphosphorus pentasulphide solubility
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solubility | INSOL IN COLD WATER; SOL IN CARBON DISULFIDE: 0.22 G/100 CC. | HSDB | |
| Sol in carbon disulfide, aqueous soln of alkali hydroxides | HSDB | ||
| In water, 1.17X10-6 mg/L at 25 °C | at 25 °C | HSDB |
Diphosphorus pentasulphide vapor pressure
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vapor pressure | 1 mmHg | at 300 °C | HSDB |
Diphosphorus pentasulphide autoignition temperature
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autoignition temperature | 141.67 °C (287 °F) | HSDB | |
| 142.22 °C (288 °F) | CAMEO | ||
| 142 °C (287.6 °F) | ICSC |
Diphosphorus pentasulphide lower explosive limit (LEL)
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower explosive limit (LEL) | Moderate, in solid form by spontaneous chemical reaction. | HSDB | |
| Explosive of a flame. | in the presence | HSDB | |
| Containers may explode in fire. | HSDB |
Diphosphorus pentasulphide odor threshold
| Property | Value | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odor threshold | Odor Threshold Low: 0.0047 [mg/m3] | Haz-Map | |
| An odor threshold of 0.0047 ppm for phosphorus pentasulfide has been reported. [ACGIH] Vapor pressure = 1 mm Hg at 300 °C | at 300 °C, at 1 mmHg (reduced pressure) | Haz-Map |
Values compiled from PubChem Laboratory Chemical Safety Summary. Temperatures converted to Fahrenheit for reference.
09 · Fire and explosion
Diphosphorus pentasulphide fire and explosion behaviour
These are descriptions rather than measured values, so they are kept out of the table above and quoted here with the source that reported them.
Diphosphorus pentasulphide fire potential
Combustible solid. Evolves hydrogen sulfide and may ignite on contact with water, acids ... May heat and ignite spontaneously.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
10 · Handling and storage
Diphosphorus pentasulphide storage and handling
Diphosphorus pentasulphide safe storage
Separated from incompatible materials. See Chemical Dangers. Dry. Well closed. Keep in a well-ventilated room.
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Diphosphorus pentasulphide storage conditions
Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well ventilated area away from moisture, water, alcohols, strong oxidizers, acids, alkalies. Where possible, automatically transfer material from drums or other storage containers to process containers. Sources of ignition such as smoking and open flames are prohibited where this chemical is handled, used, or stored. Metal containers involving the transfer of this chemical should be grounded and bonded. Wherever this chemical is used, handled, manufactured, or stored, use explosion-proof electrical equipment and fittings.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Diphosphorus pentasulphide incompatible materials
Readily liberates toxic hydrogen sulfide and phosphorus pentoxide and evolves heat on contact with moisture ... Reacts with water, steam, or acids to produce toxic flammable vapors; can react vigorously with oxidizing materials.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Diphosphorus pentasulphide reactivity
PHOSPHORUS PENTASULFIDE reacts vigorously with strong oxidants. Exothermically violent decomposition reaction with water, steam or acids to produce irritating fumes of phosphorus pentaoxide and highly toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. May ignite in contact with limited amounts of water [Haz. Chem. Data, 1975, p. 239]. Can be ignited by sparks or friction and its dust presents an explosion hazard in air at sufficient concentrations. Hydrogen sulfide gas evolved from reactions with water may also form explosive mixtures with air.
Source: CAMEO Chemicals
Planning storage for a mix of chemicals? Check Diphosphorus pentasulphid… in the storage compatibility matrix →
11 · Transport
Diphosphorus pentasulphide UN number and transport classification
Transport classification is a separate system from the GHS classification above. It decides how a package is marked and how a load may be carried; it does not follow from the workplace label, and the workplace label does not follow from it. The entries below are linked by CAS number, never by name.
Diphosphorus pentasulphide under UN 1340 — shipping name, class and packing group
Europe · ADR 2025, Table A
| Proper shipping name (3.1.2) | Class | Classification code | PG | Labels (column 5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHOSPHORUS PENTASULPHIDE, free from yellow and white phosphorus | 4.3 | WF2 | II | |
Source: ADR 2025, Table A of Chapter 3.2 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE). Class 4.3 is “Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases” (ADR 2.1.1.1).
United States · 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table
| Proper shipping name (column 2) | Class or division | PG | Labels (column 6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus pentasulfide, free from yellow or white phosphorus | 4.3 | II | |
Source: 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03. Class 4.3 is “Dangerous when wet material” (49 CFR 173.2).
12 · Questions
Diphosphorus pentasulphide — frequently asked questions
What is the CAS number of Diphosphorus pentasulphide?
The CAS number of Diphosphorus pentasulphide is 1314-80-3. Its EC number is 215-242-4.
What is the chemical formula of Diphosphorus pentasulphide?
The molecular formula of Diphosphorus pentasulphide is P4S10 and its molecular weight is 444.6 g/mol.
What does a Diphosphorus pentasulphide label have to show?
Under CLP Annex VI the label for Diphosphorus pentasulphide carries the pictograms Flame, Exclamation mark and Environment and the signal word is Danger.
Is Diphosphorus pentasulphide flammable?
Yes. CLP Annex VI assigns Diphosphorus pentasulphide H228 and H260 — flammable solid.
Is Diphosphorus pentasulphide a carcinogen?
CLP Annex VI records no harmonised carcinogenicity classification for Diphosphorus pentasulphide. Annex VI is a list of agreed classifications, not a list of substances found safe, so this is an absence of a classification rather than a clean bill of health.
What is the exposure limit for Diphosphorus pentasulphide?
The US occupational exposure limit reported for Diphosphorus pentasulphide is 1.0 [mg/m3] (Haz-Map, Information on Hazardous Chemicals and Occupational Diseases). Limits differ by country: the EU sets its own indicative and binding values, and the figure that applies at a given workplace is the one in the local regulation.
What is the boiling point of Diphosphorus pentasulphide?
The boiling point reported for Diphosphorus pentasulphide is 515 °C (959 °F) (HSDB).
What is the melting point of Diphosphorus pentasulphide?
The melting point reported for Diphosphorus pentasulphide is 285 °C (545 °F) (HSDB).
How should Diphosphorus pentasulphide be stored?
Store in tightly closed containers in a cool, well ventilated area away from moisture, water, alcohols, strong oxidizers, acids, alkalies. Where possible, automatically transfer material from drums or other storage containers to process containers. Sources of ignition such as smoking and open flames are prohibited where this chemical is handled, used, or stored. Metal containers involving the transfer of this chemical should be grounded and bonded. Wherever this chemical is used, handled, manufactured, or stored, use explosion-proof electrical equipment and fittings. (Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB))
Nearby
Substances next to Diphosphorus pentasulphide
Keep going: substances starting with D, or search the whole database by name, CAS number, pictogram or signal word.