Improvements in or relating to the preparation of diaryl mercury compounds

Abstract

Abstract Organic mercury compounds having germicidal and fungicidal properties are prepared by treating an organic mercury compound of the formula RHgX, where R is an aryl group and X is an anion of an organic or inorganic acid, with an alkylolamine in the presence of a decomposition inhibitor. Preferred inhibitors which are used are organic carboxylic acids such as lactic and citric acids or salts thereof. The function of the inhibitor is to prevent the premature deposition of the products of the invention which are insoluble. The effect of the inhibitor may be overcome by heat and this property may be used to cause the deposition of the product of the invention in situ in fibrous materials such as textiles, fibres, yarns, paper, leather, films and sheets and to render such materials permanently germicidal, bacteristatic and fungistatic. Starting materials of the formula RHgX which may be used include phenyl mercuric acetate, phenyl mercuric lactate, tolyl mercuric malate, and tolyl mercuric butyrate. Alkylolamines mentioned include mono-, di- and tri-ethanolamines and mono-isopropanolamine. The reaction is carried out by merely mixing the ingredients in aqueous solution. In examples: (1) phenyl mercuric acetate, triethanolamine and lactic acid are mixed, and the product diluted with water containing citric acid to form a product suitable for treating textiles which yields diphenyl mercury on heating; (2)-(4) the product of example (1) is applied to textiles in admixture with other textile treating agents.

Inventors

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