Methylmercury(II) Derivatives of Pyridine-2(1H)-thione

Methylmercuric nitrate reacts with pyridine-2(lH)-thione (C5H5NS) in acetone to give methyl(pyridine-2(1H)-thione)mercury(II) nitrate, [MeHg(C5H5NS)]NO3. This complex reacts with sodium bicarbonate in acetone to give methyl(pyridine-2-thiolato)mercury(II), MeHg(C5H4NS). Infrared, Raman, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra indicate that MeHg(II) is bonded to sulphur in both complexes, and that protonation of nitrogen occurs on reaction of MeHg(C5H4NS) with nitric acid to give [MeHg(C5H5NS)]NO3.