Reduction of mercury(II) by the carbon dioxide radical anion: a theoretical and experimental investigation.

The laser flash photolysis technique (λ(exc) = 266 nm) was used to investigate the mechanism of the HgCl(2) reduction mediated by CO(2)(·-) radicals in the temperature range 291.7-308.0 K. For this purpose, the CO(2)(·-) radicals were generated by scavenging of sulfate radicals by formic acid. The absorbance of the reduced radical of methyl viologen, a competitive scavenger of CO(2)(·-), was monitored at 390 nm. Moreover, theoretical calculations, including solvent effects, were also performed within the framework of the density functional theory for various chemical species of Hg(I) and Hg(II) to aid in the modeling of the reaction of reduction of HgCl(2) by CO(2)(·-).