carbon disulfide (carbon bisulfide) A non color highly refractive liquid, CS₂, slightly soluble in water and soluble in ethanol and ether; r.d. 1.261; m.p. –110°C; b.p. 46.3°C. Pure carbon disulfide has an ethereal odour but the commercial product is contaminated with a variety of other sulfur compounds and has a most unpleasant smell. It was previously manufactured by heating a mixture of wood, sulfur , and charcoal; modern processes use natural gas and sulfur . Carbon disulfide is an excellent solvent for oils, waxes, rubber, sulfur , and phosphorus, but its use is decreasing because of its high toxicity and its flammability. It is used for the preparation of xanthates in the manufacture of viscose yarns.