Abstract
The complexes, C6F5HgXL2 [X = Br or C1; L2
= 2,2'-bipyridyl (bipy),
1,l0-phenanthroline (phen),
3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,l0-phenanthroline (tmp), or 2,9-dimethyl-1,l0-phenanthroline (dmp)], C6Cl5HgClL2
(L, = phen, tmp, or dmp),
and PhHgClL2 (L2 = phen or tmp), have been prepared, but attempts to prepare PhHgCl bipy or complexes of
phenylmercuric bromide were unsuccessful. Evidence that the complexes contain
four coordinate mercury has been obtained from infrared spectroscopy. All
complexes, except C6Cl5HgCl phen, C6Cl5HgCl dmp,
and PhHgCl tmp, undergo
complete or partial disproportionation reactions, 2RHgXL2 →
L2HgX2 +R2HgL2
(or R2Hg + L2), in boiling
benzene. Although disproportionation or low
solubility precludes solution studies on the majority of the derivatives, it
has been shown that C6F5HgX dmp complexes are monomeric in acetone and that PhHgCl phen undergoes dissociation, PhHgCl
phen + PhHgCl + phen, in this solvent.
Four-coordinate complexes
of mercuric halides with neutral ligands, L,HgX,
(L = a neutral unidentate
or L, = a neutral bidentate ligand; X = C1, Br, or I), are
well kno~n,l-~
but analogous complexes of organomercuric halides, viz. RHgXL,,
were unknown prior to this
investigation. Reactions of organomercuric halides with
ligands generally result in
disproportionation, the corresponding diorganomercurial
and mercuric halide complex
being f~rmed.~-~
In some cases intermediate
complexes RHgL+X- have been i~olated~,~
or detected in
soluti~n,~-~~ and a 1 : 1 complex of unknown structure between
pyridine and cis-2-
* Part VI, J. organomet. Chem., in press. Preliminary communications for
Part VII: Canty,
A. J., Deacon, G. B., and
Felder, P. W., Inorg. nzlcl.
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Canty, A. J., Inorg. %ucl. Chem. Lett., 1968, 4, 128.
t Chemistry Department, Monash University, Clayton, Vie. 3168.
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