31P 77Se and 199Hg NMR spectral studies of phenylmercury(II) complexes with triphenylphosphine and its derivatives

Abstract

The solution phase behaviour of complexes of phenylmercury (II) halides/pseudohalides/carboxylates with tertiaryphosphines having stoichiometry: PhHgXL (X = CI, NO₃, SCN, O₂CR, R = CH₃, CF₃ or CCl₃; L= Ph₃P, Ph₃PE, E = O, S, Se) has been studied using ³¹P, ⁷⁷Se and ¹⁹⁹Hg NMR spectroscopy. It has been compared, where possible, with the solid state behaviour of these compounds. Based on ¹⁹⁹Hg NMR chemical shifts, a possibility of <em>d</em>_π(Hg) → <em>d</em>_π(P) bonding has been suggested. The order of Hg-ligand interaction appears to be: Ph₃P>>Ph₃PSe > Ph₃PS > Ph₃PO.