The preparation, properties, and oxidation of potassium methyl to hexyl mono-thiocarbonates and of dipotassium butyl bis(monothiocarbonate) are reported. The oxidation product of the latter is a dimer. Some nickel, lead, copper, and silver complexes were isolated. The ability of monothiocarbonates to form metal complexes lies between alkyl carbonates and dithiocarbonates. Copper(I) ethyl monothiocarbonate is a tetramer.

Twelve of the bands observed in the infrared and Raman spectra of the anions, O-methylmonothiocarbonate and 0-methyldithiocarbonate, have been assigned to in-plane vibrations, on the basis of normal coordinate analyses. It is shown that, because of the large number of parameters, vibrational studies of this type cannot be used to determine, unambiguously, the relative contribution of the canonical forms -S(-O)C=O+-CH3 and 2-S2C=0+-CH3 to the structures of the corresponding anions.