100-56-1

white fine crystalline powder

Phenylmercuric chloride has been used as an agricultural fungicide.

The reaction of phenylmercury (II) chloride with acetophenonethiosemicarbazone (Hatsc) in ethanol in 1: 1 mole ratio undergoes symmetrisation forming the products, HgCl2 (Hatse) 2 and Ph2Hg instead of the anticipated compound PhHgCl (Hatse). A new method for the determination of chloride ion is based on the formation of phenylmercury(II) chloride, its extraction into chloroform and reaction with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate to form phenylmercury(II) diethyldithiocarbamate.

Phenylmercury chloride was historically produced through a straightforward electrophilic substitution process in which metallic mercury or mercuric salts were reacted with chlorobenzene under conditions that promote formation of an organomercury bond. Industrial routes typically used mercuric acetate or mercuric oxide as the mercury source; these were first converted into a reactive phenylmercury intermediate, often via treatment with phenyl generating reagents such as diazonium salts, and then chlorinated to yield the final chloride. The crude product was purified by recrystallisation to obtain a stable, white crystalline solid suitable for formulation.

Curative. Mercury-based fungicides work by disrupting enzyme activity in fungal cells, leading to cellular dysfunction and death.

Fungicide