Formation of ortho-cyano-aminothiophenolate ligands with versatile binding modes via facile carbon–sulfur bond cleavage of 2-aminobenzothiazoles at mercury(ii) centres

Abstract

Addition of 2-aminobenzothiazole and substituted derivatives to mercuric acetate in warm ethanol leads to the high yield formation of [Hg{SC₆H₃XN(CN)}]_n resulting from loss of hydrogen and sulfur–carbon bond cleavage. Addition of phosphines affords a series of complexes in which the new ortho-cyano-aminothiophenolate ligands adopt three different binding modes.