Crystal Structure of Methanethiolatomercury(II) Chloride

The crystal structure of the title compound, MeSHgCl, has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at 295 K and refined by full-matrix least squares to a residual of 0.048 for 787 'observed' reflections. Crystals are monoclinic, P2,/c, a 7.490(4), b 7.395(2), c 7.815(3) A, beta 92.93(4), Z 4, and are isostructural with the previously described MeSHgBr. Parallel chains (-Hg-SMe-)n linked into parallel sheets by triply bridging halogen atoms (coordinated to two mercury atoms in one chain and one mercury atom in an adjacent chain) give the mercury environment 'Hg(mu-SMe)2(mu3-Cl)3' with an additional, weak, Hg. . S contact.