Synthesis, Structure and Spectroscopic Studies of Mercury(II) Selenolates and MeHgSeBut

Syntheses of tert-butylselenol, Hg(SeR)2 (R = Me, Et, But), MeSeHgO2CMe, and MeHgSeBut are described. The complexes Hg(SeBut)2 and MeSeHgO2CMe have X-ray powder diffraction indicating that they have identical polymeric structures to their thiol analogues. Vibrational spectra for the complex Hg(SeBut)2 with tetrahedral coordination for mercury indicate that mercury-selenium stretching modes occur in the region 130-140 cm-1, the linear complex MeHgSeBut has v(Hg-Se) 194 cm-1 (IR) [200 cm-1 (Raman)] and J(1H-199Hg) 146.8 Hz, and the other complexes have Hg-Se modes below ca. 200 cm-1.