Organomercury compounds XX Reactions of lithium polyfluorobenzenesulphinates with mercuric salts

The lithium polyfluorobenzenesulphinates, Li O₂SR (R = C₆F₅, p-HC₆F₄, m-HC₆F₄, or o-HC₆F₄), and the dilithium tetrafluorobenzenedisulphinates, p- and o-(LiO₂S)₂C₆F₄, have been prepared by reaction of the appropriate polyfluoroaryllithium compounds with sulphur dioxide. All compounds were isolated as hydrates and gave the corresponding S-benzylthiouronium salts on treatment with S-benzylthiouronium chloride. From reactions of the lithium sulphinates with suitable mercuric salts in water, generally at room temperature, the derivatives RHgX (R = C₆F₅, X = Cl, Br, CH₃CO₂, or PhSO₂; R = p-HC₆F₄, X = Cl, Br, or CH₃CO₂; R = m-HC₆F₄, X = Cl or Br; R = o-HC₆F₄, X = Cl), p-(XHg)₂C₆F₄ (X = Cl, Br, or CH₃CO₂), and o-(XHg)₂C₆X₄ (X = Cl or Br) have been prepared. Similarly, the bispolyfluorophenylmercurials R₂Hg (R = C₆F₅, p-HC₆F₄, or m-HC₆F₄) have been prepared from the corresponding lithium sulphinates and either mercuric salts or polyfluorophenylmercuric halides in aqueous t-butanol. A possible mechanism for the sulphur dioxide elimination reactions is discussed.