The characterlratlon of sulfur In asphalts Is lnvestlgated by coupllng selectlve reactlons and photoelectron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. The speclflclty of the two followlng reactlons has been studled on test compounds: oxldatlon of sulfldes wlth lert-butyl hydroperoxlde In chloroform (a); reduction by llthlum aluminum hydrlde of sulfones in tetrahydrofuran (b). These reactlons have been used wlth an asphalt, dlrecily for (a) or ...