New N-heterocyclic carbene mercury(II) complexes: Close mercury–arene interaction

• Published in: Journal of organometallic chemistry Vol. 696; no. 22; pp. 3507 - 3512
• Main Authors: Haque, Rosenani A., Salman, Abbas Washeel, Guan, Teoh Siang, Abdallah, Hassan Hadi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.11.2011
• Subjects: Imidazolium salts; Mercury- N-heterocyclic carbenes; Nitrogen heterocycles; Transmetallation; X-ray; Imidazolium salts; X-ray; Nitrogen heterocycles; Transmetallation; Mercury- N-heterocyclic carbenes
• ISSN: 0022-328X; 1872-8561
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jorganchem.2011.07.032

Mononuclear mercury complexes ( 1, 2, and 3) bearing bis- N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands of the form [(NHC) 2-μ-Hg] +2 have been prepared and structurally characterised. The complexes were derived from three bis-imidazolium salts as precursors to NHC; either 1,3-bis( N-methylimidazolium-1-ylmethyl)benzene bis(hexafluorophosphate) ( I·2PF 6), 1,3-bis( N-butylimidazolium-1-ylmethyl)benzene bis(hexafluorophosphate) ( II·2PF 6) or 3,5-bis( N-butylimidazolium-1-ylmethyl)toluene bis(hexafluorophosphate) ( III·2PF 6) treated with mercury(II) acetate. Interestingly X-ray crystal structure analysis revealed a close interaction between the Hg metal centre with one carbon atom of the aryl linker in addition to coordination with two NHCs. A new mercury(II)–N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes of 1,3-bis(3-methyl-imidazolium-1-ylmethyl)benzenemercury(II) bis(hexafluorophosphate) ( 1), 1,3-bis(3-butyl-imidazolium-1-ylmethyl)benzenemercury(II) bis(hexafluorophosphate) ( 2) and 3,5-bis(3-butylimidazolium-1-ylmethyl)toluenemercury-(II) bis(hexafluorophosphate) ( 3) were synthesized and characterized. The structural studies revealed a close interaction between the Hg metal centre with one carbon atom of the aryl linker in addition to coordination with two NHCs. [Display omitted] ► Three new mercury(II)- N-heterocyclic carbene complexes were synthesized. ► The synthesized complexes were characterized by 1H, 13C NMR, CHN analysis and X-ray crystallography. ► X-ray studies revealed a close interaction between the mercury and one carbon atom from the aryl linker.