Synthesis, molecular and electronic structure, and reactions of a Zn–Hg–Zn bonded complex

Abstract

Reaction of (^Ar′NacNac)ZnI with potassium/mercury amalgam gave the trimetallic compound {(^Ar′NacNac)Zn}₂Hg (1) containing a Zn–Hg–Zn unit and the first example of a bond between two different Group 12 metals; DFT and QTAIM analyses suggest that 1 is best described as two formally Zn(I) atoms with a Hg(0) atom positioned between them; reactions of 1 with stoichiometric I₂, FpI or Fp₂ gave addition products of the type (^Ar′NacNac)ZnX (X = I, Fp) and Hg. ^Ar′NacNac = HC{C(Me)N(2,6-C₆H₃ⁱPr₂)}₂; Fp = CpFe(CO)₂.