Mercuric halide adducts of tertiary phosphine or tertiary arsine complexes of palladium(II) and platinum(II)

Abstract

Certain complexes of the type [MX₂L₂](M = Pd or Pt; X = Cl, Br, or I; L = tertiary phosphine or tertiary arsine) react with mercuric halides to give adducts of the type [MX₂L₂HgX₂], having a double halide bridge between the metal atoms. A di-adduct [PtCl₂(PMe₃)₂(HgCl₂)₂] is also reported. The adducts are often easily dissociated. Adducts of the same formula are also obtained by the action of mercuric halides on some complexes of the type trans-[PtHXL₂]. The formation of these adducts, their structure and their reactivity, have been followed by a variety of physico-chemical techniques, far-i.r. spectroscopy proving exceptionally useful.