Ammonium hydrosulfide is the chemical compound with the formula (NH4)HS.

Composition[edit]
It is the salt derived from the ammonium cation and the hydrosulfide anion. The salt exists as colourless, water-
soluble, micaceous crystals. On Earth the compound is encountered mainly as a solution, not as the solid, but
NH4SH ice is believed to be a substantial component of the cloud decks of the gas-giant
planets Jupiter and Saturn, with sulfur produced by its photolysis responsible for the color of some of those
planets' clouds. It can be generated by mixing hydrogen sulfide and ammonia.

Preparation[edit]
Solutions of ammonium hydrosulfide can be prepared by passing hydrogen sulfide gas through
concentrated ammonia solution.[3] According to a detailed 1895 report, hydrogen sulfide reacts with concentrated
aqueous ammonia solution at room temperature to give (NH4)2S·2NH4HS. When this species is cooled to 0 °C
and treated with additional hydrogen sulfide, one obtains (NH4)2S·12NH4HS.[4] An ice-cold solution of this
substance kept at 0 °C and having hydrogen sulfide continually passed through it gives the hydrosulfide.
The common "stink bomb" consists of an aqueous solution of ammonium sulfide. The mixture easily converts
to ammonia and hydrogen sulfide gases. This conversion illustrates the ease of the following equilibrium:
(NH4)SH⇌ NH3 + H2S

Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide each have a powerful and unpleasant smell.

"Ammonium sulfide"[edit]
Aqueous solutions of ammonium sulfide (CAS registry number 12135-76-1), also known as diammonium
sulfide are commercially available, although the composition of these solutions is uncertain as they could
consist of a mixture of ammonia and (NH4)SH. Ammonium sulfide solutions are used occasionally
in photographic developing, to apply patina to bronze, and in textile manufacturing. Also, due to its offensive
smell, it is the active ingredient in a variety of pranks including the common stink bomb. It can be used as a
selective reducing agent (cf 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene), where there are two nitro groups only one of them is
selectively reduced.