A method for scavenging sulfur species from a petroleum-derived medium is disclosed. The method comprises contacting the medium with sulfur species scavenging amount of an imine of the formula ##STR1## wherein x is an integer from 1 to 10, R' is an organic moiety having a number of valences equal to x, R.sub.1 is hydrogen or a mono-valent organic moieties and R is a mono-valent olefin moiety, provided that R and R.sub.1 contain a total of from about four to about forty carbon atoms. In an alternative embodiment, the imine is produced by a condensation reactionic between an amine having at least one primary amino group and a carbonyl of the formula ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or a mono-valent organic moieties and R is a mono-valent olefin moiety, provided that R and R.sub.1 contain a total of from about four to about forty carbon atoms. In yet other embodiments, the imine is produced by a condensation reaction between an amine having at least one primary amino group and an aldehyde having at least one alpha-hydrogen in an aldehyde to primary amino group molar ratio of at least about 2:1, are also disclosed.