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.