On the Use of the Bis(diiodine) Adduct of 1,4‐Dimethylperhydro‐1,4‐diazepine‐2,3‐dithione (Me2dazdt) to Recover Liquid Mercury Producing [Hg(Me2dazdt)I2] in a One‐Step Reaction

Abstract Diiodine adducts with cyclic dithio‐oxamides, where complexing and oxidising properties coexist in the same molecule, have been shown to be powerful oxidising reagents towards selected metals. Here we describe the reaction of Me 2 dazdt·2I 2 [Me 2 dazdt = 1,4‐dimethylperhydro‐1,4‐diazepine‐2,3‐dithione ( 1 )] with highly toxic liquid mercury which gives the complex [Hg(Me 2 dazdt)I 2 ] ( 2 ) in a one‐step reaction. X‐rays analysis of 2 shows that the Hg II centre is coordinated by two sulfur atoms of the chelating ligand and by two iodine atoms in a distorted tetrahedral geometry. The molecule is asymmetric and crystallizes in the chiral space group P 2 1 2 1 2 1 . In the unit cell only the M enantiomer is present [τ (S1−C1−C2−S2) = −61.1(5)°]. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)