Published on Web 03/16/2002
Arene-Mercury Complexes Stabilized by Aluminum and Gallium Chloride: Catalysts for H/D Exchange of Aromatic Compounds Alexander S. Borovik and Andrew R. Barron* Contribution from the Department of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Rice UniVersity, Houston, Texas 77005 Received August 22, 2001
Abstract: Dissolution of Hg(arene)2(MCl4)2 [arene ) C6H5Me, C6H5Et, o-C6H4Me2, C6H3-1,2,3-Me3; M ) Al, Ga] in C6D6 results in a rapid H/D exchange and the formation of the appropriate dn-arene and C6D5H. H/D exchange is also observed between C6D6 and the liquid clathrate ionic complexes, [Hg(arene)2(MCl4)][MCl4], formed by dissolution of HgCl2 and MCl3 in C6H6, m-C6H4Me2, or p-C6H4Me2. The H/D exchange reaction is found to be catalytic with respect to Hg(arene)2(MCl4)2 and independent of the initial arene ligand. Reaction of a 1:1 ratio of C6H5Me and C6D6 with
