Metallomethanes: XIII. Vibrational spectra and force fields of cyanomercuriomethanes

Vibrational spectra with assignments and results of normal coordinate calculations for cyanomercuriomethanes CH_4−n(HgCN)_n (2 ≤ n ≤ 4) are discussed. The valence force constants of the central CHg bonds are 2.149, 1.944, and 1.798 N cm⁻¹,while those of the HgCN bonds are 2.204, 2.123, and 2.162 N cm⁻¹, for n = 2, 3 and 4, respectively. All these force constants are lower than the corresponding constants for methylmercury cyanide (2.445 and 2.379 N cm⁻¹). The overall behaviour of these force constants as a function of the degree of mercuration n is quite similar in both the cyanomercuriomethanes CH_4−n(HgCN) and methylmercuriomethanes CH_4−n(HgCH₃)_n series with the difference that there are variations in the constants at higher values in the former series. The potential energy distributions indicate that the valence vibrations of the CH, CN, and HgCN bonds are almost independent of all other vibrations, which in turn are more or less strongly coupled.