Under identical conditions, the reaction of 2-aminoethanethiol hydrochloride with HgX(2) (X = Cl and Br) in water yielded discrete hexanuclear [Hg(6)Cl(8)(SCH(2)CH(2)NH(3))(8))]Cl(4).4H(2)O (1) and nonanuclear [Hg(9)Br(15)(SCH(2)CH(2)NH(3))(9)](Cl(0.8)Br(0.2))(3) (2) complexes with unusual coordination environments. Compound 1 crystallizes as triclinic with a = 9.434(2) Angstroms, b = 10.999(2) Angstroms, c = 13.675(7) Angstroms, alpha = 92.9(7) degrees, beta = 105.2(7) degrees, and gamma = 96.9(7) degrees, whereas 2 is monoclinic with a = 14.162(3) Angstroms, b = 8.009(16) Angstroms, c = 19.604(4) Angstroms, alpha = gamma = 90.0 degrees, and beta = 92.7(3) degrees. In both cases, it is observed that the halide creates the secondary structure around trinuclear units (dimer in 1 and trimer in 2) through Hg-X bonding. Two independent types of Hg atoms (four- and five-coordinate in 1) and (three- and four-coordinate in 2) are observed. The geometry around Hg is quite variable with bridging thiolate and both bridging and terminal halides. The angles around Hg associated with the S atoms are more obtuse than expected from mercury(II) thiolates with a coordination number of more than 2. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding involving NH(3)(+), water molecules, and the halide atoms is responsible for the three-dimensional network in both compounds. Relatively short Hg...Hg interactions in 1 (3.797 and 3.776 Angstroms) and in 2 (3.605 and 3.750 Angstroms) are also observed. The compounds have been characterized with the help of (1)H and (13)C NMR, UV-Vis, infrared, Raman, and mass spectrometry, thermogravimetric analysis, and single X-ray crystallography.

The reaction of 2-aminoethanethiol hydrochloride with Hg(2)Cl(2) in water yielded elemental mercury and one-dimensional polynuclear compounds [{Hg(3)Cl(5)(SCH(2)CH(2)NH(3))(3)}Cl](n) and [HgCl(SCH(2)CH(2)NH(2))(H(2)O)(2)](n) (2). The coordination environment around Hg in 1 and 2 is quite variable despite similar reaction conditions. The formation of a five-membered S/N chelate in 2 can be attributed to the use of base to produce a neutral ligand. Three independent types of Hg atoms, both three- and four-coordinate are observed in 1, whereas in 2, the Hg atom is tetracoordinate with S, N and Cl atoms in the primary coordination sphere. Despite distinct structural chemistry, the coordination environments in 1 and 2 are fairly similar with repeating units connected with bridged thiolate S atoms in addition to a terminal Cl attached to Hg. Intermolecular hydrogen-bonding involving amine protons, Cl and water molecules are responsible for a three-dimensional network in both 1 and 2. A short Hg...Hg distance of 3.564 A, indicates the presence of a mercurophilic interaction in 1. The compounds have been characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR, UV-Vis, FT-IR, Raman, mass spectrometry, TGA and single X-ray crystallography.