Adducts of tertiary stibines with mercury(II) halides

Abstract

The preparation of Lewis-acid–base adducts of the type R₃SbHgX₂(R = phenyl, o- and p-tolyl; X = Cl, Br, and I) are reported. Reaction of the o-tolylstibine with HgCl₂ in benzene yields Hg₂Cl₂ and R₃SbCl₂. In tetrahydrofuran the reaction products are R₂SbCl and RHgCl. These results are interpreted in terms of a scrambling occurring via a five-co-ordinate antimony labile intermediate formed via oxidative addition of the stibine by HgCl₂.

Reaction of R₃Bi with HgCl₂ leads to the scrambling products R₂BiCl and RHgCl.