What is the distinction between Hg2+ and Hg2^2+
Explanation -
Difference between mercuric and mercurous is that the term mercuric is used to describe compounds containing Hg(II) cations, whereas the term mercurous is used to describe compounds containing Hg(I) cations.
Mercury forms two ions; the mercuric ion, Hg++, and the mercurous ion that would be ewxpected to be Hg+, but is [Hg-Hg]++
For Hg+, the electron configuration should be 5d106s1 with a spin free electron which would make the mercurous compound paramagnetic.
However, mercurous compounds are diamagnetic which indicates the absence of any spin free electron .This is explained by assuming the formation of a Hg-Hg bond in mercurous compounds, e.g.
Cl-Hg-Hg-Cl (Hg2++2Cl-).
X-ray analysis of mercurous compounds prove the presence of the Hg-Hg bond in Hg(I) compounds.
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