Metal carbonyl 18-electron complexes is sometimes catalysed by catalytic amounts of oxidants, via electron-transfer. Metal carbonyls react with reducing agents such as metallic sodium or sodium amalgam to give carbonylmetalate (or carbonylate) anions: For iron pentacarbonyl, one obtains the tetracarbonylferrate with loss of CO: Mercury can insert into the metal-metal bonds of some polynuclear metal carbonyls: The CO ligand is often susceptible to attack by nucleophiles. For example, trimethylamine oxide and bistrimethylsilylamide convert CO ligands to CO and CN, respectively. In the "Hieber base reaction", hydroxide ion attacks the CO ligand to give a metallacarboxylic acid, followed by the release of carbon
Mercury(I) nitrate Mercury(I) nitrate Mercury(I) nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula Hg(NO). It is used in the preparation of other mercury(I) compounds, and is toxic. Mercury(I) nitrate is formed when elemental mercury is combined with "dilute" nitric acid (concentrated nitric acid will yield mercury(II) nitrate). Mercury(I) nitrate is a reducing agent which is oxidized upon contact with air. Mercuric nitrate can be reacted with elemental mercury to form mercurous nitrate. Solutions of mercury(I) nitrate are acidic due to slow reaction with water: Hg(NO)(OH) forms a yellow precipitate. If the solution is boiled or exposed to light, mercury(I) nitrate undergoes a