Abstract

This study designed and optimized the reaction conditions for the synthesis of sodium di- ethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) using the response surface method. A factorial design (FD) with three levels and two factors was applied. DDTC was synthesized at room temperature from carbon disul- fide, diethylamine, and sodium hydroxide. The independent variables were the concentration (X1) and the molar equivalence ratio (X2) of the sodium hydroxide solution. The dependent variables were the reaction yield (Y1), product purity (Y2), and crystal melting point (Y3). To assess the effects of different combinations of these factors, various response surface graphs and contour plots were generated. The predicted values closely matched the experimental values for the optimized for- mulation, which were X1 = 1.98 eq. and X2 = 29.9%. The observed experimental results were as follows: Y1 (%) = 78.44 ± 2.54; Y2 (%) = 99.62 ± 0.1 and Y3 (◦C) = 93.85 ± 0.92. This study effectively demonstrated that using an experimental optimization model to determine optimal reaction conditions is a strategic approach to enhancing the synthesis of chemical compounds.