Syntheses and vibrational spectra of some tris(alkanethiolato)mercurate(II) complexes, and crystal structure of the Hexakis(methanethiolato)dimercurate(II) dianion

Abstract

The complexes [cation] [Hg(SR)3](R = Me, cation = Et4N+; R = But, cation = Et4N+, Bu4N+, [N(Ph3P)2]+) have been prepared. The crystal structure of the methanethiolate complex shows that it contains centrosymmetric dinuclear anions [(MeS)2Hg(�-SMe)2Hg(SMe)2]2- with distorted tetrahedral geometry about the mercury atoms. Vibrational spectroscopic evidence suggests that this complex dissociates on dissolution in ethanol to give mononuclear [Hg(SMe)3]- species. The ButS- complexes appear to exist as mononuclear [Hg(SBut)3]- species both in the solid state and in solution. The metal-sulfur stretching frequencies are assigned for all of the complexes studied, and the vibrational spectra are discussed in terms of the structures of the complex anions involved. Crystal data for [(C2H5)4N]2Hg2(SCH3)6 : a 8.656(5), b gS130(6), c 12.368(8) �; α 102.16(4), β 105.51(4), γ 105.29(4)�; space group P1, Z 1, R 0.034, Rw 0.042.