The crystal structure of high-pressure phase-IV solid hydrogen sulfide
was studied by in situ angle-dispersive x-ray diffractometry using sy
nchrotron radiation and an imaging plate. Analysis for the diffraction
pattern obtained at 11.4 GPa shows that phase IV is monoclinic (space
group Pc) as to the positions of sulfur atoms, which is structurally
distorted from the cubic phases I and I' stable at low pressures. The
volume reduction of the phase I'-to-IV transition is 2.3%. The variati
on of the neighboring S-S distance in phase IV is different from phase
s I and I', resulting in the disappearance of the orientationally diso
rdered hydrogen bond.