Solution-state NMR and X-ray
crystallography were used toinvestigate the
complexation of Hg(II) by thetridentateligand bis[(2-pyridyl)methyl]amine (BMPA).Mer
cury
coordination
compounds exhibiting rarely observedsolution-state NMR
1H
199Hg satellites were
chara
cterized. Temperature and
con
centration effe
cts onsolution-state NMRproperties were investigated. The solution-state NMR were
correlated with two solid-state stru
ctures. Thedistortedtrigonal prismati
c complex[Hg(BMPA)
2](ClO
4)
2·0.5toluene(
1)
crystallizes in the tri
clini
c spa
ce group
Pcr.gif"> with
a = 10.953(5) Å,
b = 12.812(5) Å,
c = 13.006(5) Å,
chars/alpha.gif" BORDER=0> = 67.50(3)
,
chars/beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle"> =82.74(3)
,
chars/gamma.gif" BORDER=0 > = 67.88(3)
, and
Z =2.The Hg-N
amine bonds are 2.404(4) and2.350(4) Å and the Hg-N
pyridyl bond lengths aresimilar, ranging from2.352(4) to 2.557(5) Å. Solution NMR studies are
consistent with rapid equilibrium between isomeri
ctrigonalprismati
c and fa
cial o
ctahedral forms of this
complex. A twistingme
chanism is proposed to mediateinter
conversion. The distorted square planar
complex[Hg(BMPA)NCCH
3](ClO
4)
2(
7)
crystallizes in the mono
clini
cspa
ce group
P2
1/
c with
a= 12.987(2) Å,
b = 17.469(4) Å,
c= 8.886(2) Å,
chars/beta2.gif" BORDER=0 ALIGN="middle"> = 95.200(12)
, and
Z =4. TheHg-N
amine distan
ce is 2.403 Å, the averageHg-N
pyridyl distan
ce is 2.23 Å, and theHg-N
nitrile distan
ce is 2.229Å. The BMPA ligand is bound to Hg(II) in a meridionalfashion with a solvent mole
cule in the same plane and
close asso
ciations to two axial per
chlorates with Hg-O distan
ces of2.707(7) and 2.90(2) Å. Solution NMRstudies support limited dynami
cs for a
cation with similar intera
ctionsbetween BMPA and Hg(II).