Dichloro[(6R,7S,8S,14S)-(–)-sparteine-κ²N,N′]mercury(II)

Abstract

In the title compound, [HgCl2(C15H26N2)], the chiral alkaloid (6R,7S,8S,14S)-(-)-L-sparteine acts as a bidentate ligand, with two Cl- ligands occupying the remaining coordination sites, producing a distorted tetrahedron. The N-Hg-N plane is twisted by 81.1 (2) degrees from the Cl-Hg-Cl plane. The mid-point of the N...N line does not lie exactly on the Cl-Hg-Cl plane but is tilted towards one of the N atoms by 0.346 angstroms. Similarly, the mid-point of the Cl...Cl line is tilted toward one of the Cl atoms by 0.163 angstroms. The packing structure shows that the complex is stabilized by two interatomic Cl...H contacts involving both Cl atoms and the methylene or methine H atoms of the (-)-sparteine ligand.

When Applying the Mercury Poisoning Test to Palladacycle-Catalyzed Reactions, One Should Not Consider the Common Misconception of Mercury(0) Selectivity

“…It should be noted that the CCDC does not contain any data for organomercurials with six-membered C , N -mercuracycles. However, coordination compounds with six-membered N , N -chelate rings formed by diamine or diimine ligands are known. In contrast to the T-shaped functionalized organomercuric chlorides, they contain the (sp 3 )-hybridized mercury­(II) atom in a distorted tetrahedral coordination environment with a rather strong Hg–N bonds (2.246–2.475 Å) inside the chair-shaped chelate ring.…”