The kinetics and mechanism of the thermal decomposition of sodium sulphide pentahydrate to an essentially anhydrous form was investigated, in the pressure range 3-20 Torr, using thermogravimetry and X-ray powder diffractometry under controlled temperature and water vapour pressure. A two-step dehydration reaction pathway involving an intermediate dihydrate phase was observed: Na2S=5H,0 --+ Na2S2H20 + 3H20 (9); Na2S*2H,0 --+ Na2S + 2H,O (9). The latter reaction is shown t o be relatively more inhibited than the first. The intermediate phase was studied by means of simultaneous thermogravimetry and X-ray powder diffraction methods. A structural transformation is proposed in terms of a topotactic process, which readily accounts for the readiness with which the first reaction takes place and which is also consistent with the overall structural transformation from the pentahydrate to the anhydrous product.A wide variety of hydrated sodium sulphide species has been quoted in the literature as being formed either by crystallization from solutions or by thermolysis in the solid state.' The Occurrence of Na2S*9H,0 is acertained beyond doubt, whereas for the lower hydrates a number of controversial results are found in the literature.In their solubility studies, Parravano and Forniani claimed the existence of a hexahydrate and a 5.5 hydrate in the temperature ranges 48-91.5 and 91.5-94 "C. The latter hydratewasalso found tobemetastablebetween48.9and91.5 "C.Using various different preparative procedures, Bottger,3 Sabatier,4 and Lemoine obtained a pentahydrate, Na2Se5H,0. Later on, Sanfourche described an intermediate stable above 85 "C, which was supposed to be a monohydrate. In a more n = I3.34(m/m,) -4.34(3)