+6	SO3
+4	SO2
0	S
–2	H2S, S2–

PbS

S

SO2    SO3

These three reactions illustrate some of the chemistry of the major oxidation states of sulfur shown at the right.

Note that elemental sulfur is an intermediate state and thus can be either an oxidant or a reductant.

• Sulfur acts as a reductant in its reaction with the more electronegative nonmetals such as oxygen and fluorine. Fluorine gives SF₆ directly.
• Sulfur acts as an oxidant toward metals giving S(-2). In the scheme the product is PbS containing Pb²⁺.