Preparation of Alkyl Mercurials with Tetraethyllead

High yield synthesis and characterization of isotopically enriched monoethylmercury chloride (C2H5201HgCl)

“…The product was then added to 800 ml of 1% HCl and ether-distilled, and then the residue was filtered and dried. Whelen 19 synthesized C 2 H 5 HgCl from mercuric chloride and tetraethyllead. The ethanolic solution of (C 2 H 5 ) 4 Pb was added gradually to a suspension of HgCl 2 in ethanol and the whole mixture was heated for 4 h at 65…”

The Rise and Fall of Tetraethyllead. 2.

“…One former application of tetraethyllead was based on the facile electrophilic cleavage of its Pb−C bond. Reaction of tetraethyllead with mercuric acetate resulted in the formation of ethylmercuric acetate (eq 28), which is a water-soluble fungicide but is no longer used as such. Ethylation of group 15 trihalides occurs readily (eq 29) …”

Agricultural and Biocidal Applications of Organometallics

“…of metal, were used to make pesticides in 1958 (Anderson, 1960). Whelen (1959) stated that the overafl yearly value of the alkylmercurials is the order of $100,000,000, and that they have contributed measurably to our agricultural abundance. The organomercurial compounds are firmly established as highly effective industrial and agricultural fungicides which are finding ever increasing use.…”