Mercuric Triflate

Dedicated with best wishes to Dr. Ani Deepthi.

Introduction

Mercuric triflate or mercury(II) trifluoromethane sulfonate, Hg(CF₃SO₃)₂ is a white powdery solid, hygroscopic in nature and soluble in water. It belongs to the chemical family of metal triflate compounds and is toxic upon inhalation, contact or ingestion. It has a melting point of 350 °C above which it decomposes to a mixture of carbonyl fluoride, carbon monoxide, hydrogen fluoride, sulfur dioxide and metal salts. Mercuric triflate is commercially available and can as well be prepared instantaneously by the reaction of mercury(II) oxide and triflic anhydride in acetonitrile (Scheme [1]).[ ¹ ] Mercuric triflate is a very versatile reagent[ ² ] and has been used for several organic catalytic transformations including C–C bond forming cyclizations, alkyne hydrations, heterocycle synthesis and very recently in C–N bond forming reactions.

Scheme 1

• References

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