Preparation, spectroscopic properties and thermal stabilities of organomercury compounds containing the bulky ligand (Me3Si)3C or (PhMe2Si)3C

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(95)05866-N

Mercury compounds of the types HgR¹R (R¹ = C(SiMe₃)₃; R = Me, ⁱPr, Bu, ^tBu or Ph) and HgR²R (R² = C(SiMe₂Ph)₃; R = Me, Bu, CH₂Ph or Ph) have been prepared. Those containing R¹ were made by reactions of the bromides HgR¹ Br with the Grignard reagents MgRX, and those containing R² by reaction of HgR²Cl with LiR or, for R = CH₂Ph, with Mg(CH₂Ph)Cl. Replacement of one R group in HgR₂ by the bulky R¹ or R² group leads to a large increase in thermal stability, a marked shift in the ¹⁹⁹Hg resonance to lower frequency and an increase in the coupling constant ¹J(¹³C-¹⁹⁹Hg) for the Hg-R bond. The compound HgR²Cl does not react further with LiR² in tetrahydrofuran, but with LiR¹ gives HgR¹R²; the arrangement of the SiMe₂Ph groups in the latter in solution in CH₂Cl₂ at low temperature appears to be different from that in the solid.