Ammonium thiosulfate (ammonium thiosulphate in British English) is an inorganic compound with the formula (NH4)2S2O3. It is white crystalline solid with ammonia odor, readily soluble in water, slightly soluble in acetone and insoluble in ethanol and diethyl ether.
Production
It is produced by treating ammonium sulfite with sulfur:
(NH4)2SO3 + S → (NH4)2S2O3
Applications
Ammonium sulfate (American English and international scientific usage; ammonium sulphate in British English); (NH4)2SO4, is an inorganic salt with a number of commercial uses. The most common use is as a soil fertilizer. It contains 21% nitrogen and 24% sulfur.
Uses
Ammonium phosphate is the salt of ammonium and phosphate. It is a highly unstable compound with the formula (NH4)3PO4. Because of its instability, it is elusive and of no commercial value. A related "double salt", (NH4)3PO4.(NH4)2HPO4 is also recognized but is too unstable for practical use. Both triammonium salts evolve ammonia. In contrast to the fragile nature of the triammonium salts, diammonium phosphate (NH4)2HPO4 is a valuable material, mainly as a fertilizer. Also of value is monoammonium salt (NH4)H2PO4, which is also valued as a fertilizer.