Oxidation of addition compounds between organic sulphides and mercury(II) chloride
Abstract
Addition compounds of aliphatic sulphides with mercury(II) chloride, R1R2S, nHgCl2, n= 1 or 2, are oxidized by hydrogen peroxide to give adducts of mercury(II) chloride with sulphoxides, R1R2SO, mHgCl2, m= 1, 1·5, and 2. Adducts of Me2SO, MeEtSO, Et2SO, Prn2SO, Pri2SO, Bun2SO, Bui2SO, and Ph2SO were prepared. By crystallization and decomposition of these adducts, highly pure sulphoxides are obtained. Molecular-weight determinations and i.r. spectra indicate that the sulphoxide adducts are strongly dissociated in solution, while conductance measurements indicate that they are non-ionic. I.r. data in the range 900–1400 cm–1 show the existence of a bond between the sulphoxidic group and the metal through the oxygen atom.