Organomercury compounds. XVIII. Thermal decomposition reactions of mercuric arenesulphonate pyridinates

Abstract

The mercuric arenesulphonate pyridinates, Hg(O₃SR)₂,(py)₂ (R = C₆X₅, p- HC₆X₄, o-HC₆X₄, or m-HC₆Cl₄; X = Cl or F) and Hg(O₃S-m-HC₆F₄)₂,(py)₃, have been prepared by treatment of the appropriate mercuric arenesulphonate dihydrates with pyridine. Thermal decomposition of the compounds Hg(O₃SR)₂,(py)₂ (R = C₆X₅, p-HC₆X₄, or m-HC₆Cl₄) and Hg(O₃S-m-HC₆F₄)₂,(py)₃ at c. 120-240° under vacuum gave the corresponding diarylmercurials (yields: 45-90%) and the complex (py),SO₃ in all cases, together with (- m-HgC₆F₄SO_3-)_n, and low yields of polyfluorobenzenes and/or polyfluorobenzenesulphonic acids. Similar decomposition of the compounds Hg(O₃S-o-HC₆X₄)₂,(py)₂ gave (-o-HgC₆X₄SO_3-)_n, (py),SO₃, o- HC₆X₄SO₃H, and o-H₂C₆X₄, and there was some evidence for formation of a trace of o-(o-HC₆Cl_4- SO₃Hg)C₆Cl₄SO₃HgO₃S-o-HC₆Cl₄. The derivatives (- HgC₆X₄SO_3-)_n, were identified by established degradation procedures.