Molekül‐ und Kristallstruktur von Quecksilber(II)‐α‐Amino‐γ‐methylmercapto‐butyrat,Hg(Met)2

Molecular and Crystal Structure of Mercuric α‐Amino‐γ‐methyl‐mercapto‐butyrate, Hg(Met)₂ The mercuric salt of deprotonated methionine, Hg(Met)₂, was obtained as colourless needles from aqueous solutions of methionine and HgCl₂ or HgO, respectively. The crystal structure (monoclinic, P2₁, Z = 2, a = 984, 2(2), 507, 96(6), c = 1574, 2(3) pm, β = 93, 05(2)°; R_all = 0, 055) exhibits formula‐like molecules with strong Hg—N coordination at a distance of 216 pm; one oxygen atom adds to a chelate like N—Hg—O coordination. Stacking of these molecules adds two oxygen atoms of different methionate anions to an effective 2+2+2 ?octahedral”? coordination around the mercuric ion. Thereby a layer structure parallel (001) is formed with the methyl‐mercapto function on top and bottom of these layers.