A laser flash photolysis-long path UV-visible absorption technique has been employed to investigate the kinetics of aqueous phase reactions of chlorine atoms (Cl) and dichloride radicals (O-2) with four organic sulfur compounds of atmospheric interest, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO; CH3S(O)CH3) dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2; CH3(O)S(O)CH3) methanesulfinate (MSI; CH3S(Q)O-), and methanesulfonate (MS; CH3(0)S(0)0(-)). Measured rate coefficients at T = 295 +/- 1 K (in units of M-1 s(-1)) are as follows: Cl + DMSO, (6.3 +/- 0.6) x 10(9); Cl-2(-) + DMSO, (1.6 +/-0.8) x 10(7); Cl + DMSO2, (8.2 +/- 1.6) x 10(5); Cl-2(-) + DMSO2, (8.2 +/- 5.5) x 10(3); Cl-2(-) + MSI, (8.0 +/- 1.0) x 10(8); Cl + MS, (4.9 +/- 0.6) x 10(5); Cl-2- + MS, (3.9 +/- 0.7) x 10(3). Reported uncertainties are estimates of accuracy at the 95 % confidence level and the rate coefficients for MSI and MS reactions with Cl-2(-) are corrected to the zero ionic strength limit. The absorption spectrum of the DMSO-Cl adduct is reported; peak absorbance is observed at 390 nm and the peak extinction coefficient is found to be 5760 M-1 cm(-1) with a 2 sigma uncertainty of 30 %. Some implications of the new kinetics results for understanding the atmospheric sulfur cycle are discussed.