Aromatic Iodides from Aromatic Organomercurials 13.2. Aromatic Bromides from Aromatic Organomercurials 13.3. Aromatic Chlorides from Aromatic Organomercurials 13.4. Aromatic Fluorides from Aromatic Organomercurials 13.5. Aromatic Nitriles from Aromatic Organomercurials 14. Improved Syntheses of Some Diaryliodonium Salts from Symmetric Diarylmercurials

This review reports some novel (or improved) synthetic methods for preparing a number of aromatic (carbocyclic and predominantly heterocyclic) organomercurials, particularly those derived from theophylline, theobromine and uracil, as well as some novel haloand cyano-demercuration reactions. We have also synthesized the first stable organic derivative of mercury(I), viz. 1,8-bis(acetoxydimercurio)theobromine, and studied its novel reactions. We have also improved the old Willgerodt method (1897), applicable for preparing various diaryliodonium chlorides from appropriate (dichloroiodo)arenes and symmetric aromatic mercurials. A full list of our works, published over the past twenty years (1980-2000), is also provided (see Refs. 1-16).