A white, slightly unstable solid, the compound is mainly of theoretical and fundamental interest given its simplicity.

[3] According to X-ray crystallography, the molecule is planar, the SCN units are linear, with an S-C-S angle of 95.6°.

[2]: 8  Subsequent developments include Linneman's discovery that the same product arose from silver thiocyanate and cyanogen iodide,[5] and Söderbäck's extensive analysis of reactions between metal cyanides and sulfur halides.

[6] Linneman also discovered that sulfur dicyanide reacts with ammonia à la Pinner to give an amidine without displacing the S–C linkage,[5] although dimethylamine induces decomposition to dimethylcyanamide and dimethylammonium thiocyanate.

[2]: 14 Sulfur dicyanide generally reacts with noble metals to give heteroleptic cyano-thiocyano complices, although in rare cases it can ligate without decomposition, e.g.:[2]: x