Mercury(II) and organomercury(II) complexes of thiols and dithiols, including british anti-lewisite

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0020-1693(00)93859-3

The dithiols 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanol (British anti-Lewisite) and1,3-dimercapto-2propanol form complexes RHgS～SHgR (R = Me, Ph). The PhHg(II) complexes decompose in benzene and methanol at ambient temperature to form diphenylmercury. A 1:1 complex of Hg(II) with 1,3-dimercapto-2-propanol is dimeric in pyridine. Infrared, Raman, and ¹H NMR spectra of RHg(II) and Hg(II) dithiol complexes are compared with those of PhHgSR (R = Me, Et, Prⁱ, Bu^t, Ph, CH₂CH₂OH) and Hg(SR′)₂ (R′ = Me, Et,Bu^t′, Ph, CH₂CH₂OH). Phenylmercury(II) thiolates have the coupling constant J(^orthoH-¹⁹⁹Hg) within the range 144-155 Hz. The complexes PhHgSR and Hg(SR″)₂ (R″ = Et, Bu^t, Ph) are monomeric in chloroform; the chloroform insoluble complexes Hg(SR?)₂ (R? = Me,CH₂CH₂OH) and organomercury(II) dithiolates are monomeric in pyridine. Aspects of the use of British anti-Lewisite as an antidote for mercury poisoning are discussed.