Tetrakis(acetoxymercuri)methane

Tetrakis(acetoxymercuri)methane is an organomercury compound with the formula formula C(HgO₂CCH₃)₄.^[2] It was obtained in the investigation of Hofmann's base, an ill-defined yellowish material produced by treatment of mercuric oxide with base in ethanol.^[3] Hofmann's base was once thought to have the formula C₂Hg₆(OH)₂. Eventually it was found to dissolve in carboxylic acids (RCO₂H) to give colorless derivatives of the type C(HgO₂CR)₄. Several tetramercurimethane derivatives have now been characterized by X-ray crystallography.^[4][5]

Tetrakis(acetoxymercuri)methane

Names
Other names Tetrakis(acetoxymercurio)methane
Identifiers
CAS Number	25201-30-3
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChemSpider	17615652
PubChem CID	16683093
UNII	VCG6X60HJW
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID60179867
InChI InChI=1S/4C2H4O2.C.4Hg/c4*1-2(3)4;;;;;/h4*1H3,(H,3,4);;;;;/q;;;;;4*+1/p-4 Key: FUFKDCOYEVSHMN-UHFFFAOYSA-J
SMILES CC(=O)O[Hg]C([Hg]OC(=O)C)([Hg]OC(=O)C)[Hg]OC(=O)C
Properties
Chemical formula	C9H12Hg4O8
Molar mass	1050.555 g·mol−1
Appearance	white solid
Density	3.71 g/cm3
Melting point	265–285[1] °C (509–545 °F; 538–558 K)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Independent of studies on Hofmann's base, tetrakis(acetoxymercuri)methane was first prepared by reaction of the tetraborylmethane C(B(OCH₃)₂)₄ with mercuric acetate.^[1]