Crystal structure of exo-6-chloromercurio-6,7-dihydro-exo-7-methoxyaldrin (1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-exo-6-chloromercurio-1,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-octahydro-endo,exo-1,4:5,8-dimethano-exo-7-methoxynaphthalene)

Abstract

Mercury(II) chloride and the chlorinated cyclodiene pesticide aldrin react in aqueous methanol to produce two mercury-containing products. The major product of this reaction involves the oxymercuration of the non-chlorinated double bond of aldrin. It has been identified as the exo,cis adduct in accord with the oxymercuration of other strained, bicyclic, olefinic systems. The crystal structure of the title adduct has been determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data collected by counter methods. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with cell dimensions a= 8.153(4), b= 19.536(5), c= 12.132(5)Å, β= 107.20(3)°, and Z= 4. Least-squares refinement gives a final R of 0.058 for the 2 301 unique reflections. The mercury–carbon and –chlorine distances are 2.08(2) and 2.317(5)Å, respectively.