Free radicals in solution. Part 10. The thermal decomposition of benzylphenylmercury in solution
Abstract
Benzylphenylmercury decomposes in toluene between 140 and 170 °C to give bibenzyl, diphenylmercury, and mercury in a first-order reaction with log10(A/s–1) 16.8, E 41.0 kcal mol–1, and interpreted as involving Hg–CH2Ph bond fission in the rate-determining step. The effects of m-chloro and p-methyl substitution in the benzyl group on this decomposition have been determined.