Binary structures mercury

Recently, Silver and Bray (52) were able to differentiate and to estimate the relative proportions of three- and four-coordinated borons in binary borate glasses. This technique was thus adopted by the present author in order to ascertain the presence or absence of four-coordinated boron in liquid B203 (35). Glassy samples were quenched in liquid mercury from temperatures up to 1400°C but no four-coordinated boron was detected. (The lower limit of detectability was estimated to be about 2%.) Experiments were also carried out on liquid B203 up to 500°C but again no four-coordinated boron was found. It thus appeared that at least up to 500 or 600°C, the structural variation of liquid B203 with temperature is not primarily the result of a boron coordination change of from three to four. 

Most metallic elements react directly with S, Se, Te, and, so far as is known, Po. Often they react very readily, mercury and sulfur, for example, at room temperature. Binary compounds of great variety and complexity of structure can be obtained. The nature of the products usually also depends on the ratios of reactants, the temperature of reaction, and other conditions. Many elements form several compounds and sometimes long series of compounds with a given chalcogenide. We give here only the briefest account, with emphasis on the more important sulfur compounds. Many selenides and tellurides are similar. More complex chalcogenides will be discussed in the next section. 

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