ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTIONS AT SACRIFICIAL ELECTRODES .5. ELECTROCHEMICAL SYNTHESIS OF MERCURY(II) ALKOXIDES AND THEIR COORDINATION-COMPOUNDS

Electrochemical reactions of methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, n-butanol and n-pentanol at a mercury anode yield mercury(II) alkoxides. On refluxing with 2,2'-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline and dimethyl-sulfoxide, these alkoxides do not form co-ordination compounds. However, compounds with the general formula, Hg(OR)2.L, have been isolated by electrolysing the solutions of these ligands in alcohols at a mercury anode. The products have been characterised by elemental analysis and infrared spectral studies. Current efficiencies of all these reactions are quite high.