A proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance study of neopentylmercury compounds

Substituent effects on ¹⁹⁹Hg¹H and ¹⁹⁹Hg¹³C spinspin coupling constants have been studied for neopentylmercury derivatives, (CH₃)₃CCH₂HgR(or X), where R is covalently bonded Me, Et, t-Bu, neopentyl, and vinyl, and X is easily ionizable CN, Br, Cl, OCOCH₃, and ONO₂. Linear relationships exist between the methylene J(¹³CH) and ²J(HgH), ⁴J(HgC) and ²J(HgC) and ³J(HgC); but deviations from linearity occur for the chloride, bromide, acetate, and nitrate in the relationships between ²J(HgH) and ⁴J(HgH), ²J(HGH) and ²J(HGC). These deviations are discussed in terms of hyperconjugative p_πd_π bonding between the methylene CH bonds and mercury.