Lead acetate-metal halides

Lead tetra-acetate in conjunction with a metal halide provides a high-yielding route to a-halogeno-ketones from enol ethers, and lead chemistry is used for the conversion of pyrazolones (201) into either alk-2-ynoic [Pb(OAc)4-MeOH] or allenic [Pb(OAc)4-MeOH-BF3 EtaO] esters. ... 

Several important classes of polar monomers have so far eluded copolymerization by the Pd(II) system. Vinyl chloride insertion, for example, leads to catalyst deactivation following P-halide elimination to form inert chloride species such as 1.32, as shown by Jordan [90], Similarly, attempted vinyl acetate copolymerization results in deactivation by an analogous acetate elimination process, although the ester chelate intermediate that forms after insertion also effectively shuts down the reaction [90], Therefore, -elimination of polar groups represents a significant and unresolved problem for late transition metal polymerization systems unless access of the metal to it is restricted. 

Rubidium metal alloys with the other alkali metals, the alkaline-earth metals, antimony, bismuth, gold, and mercury. Rubidium forms double halide salts with antimony, bismuth, cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, thorium, and zinc. These complexes are generally water insoluble and not hygroscopic. The soluble rubidium compounds are acetate, bromide, carbonate, chloride, chromate, fluoride, formate, hydroxide, iodide,... 

Alkyl mercury halides and alkyl mercury acetates are quite stable, but reduction with sodium borohydride leads to highly unstable alkyl mercury hydrides, which collapse at room temperature or in the presence of light to yield alkyl radicals. One other product is mercury metal and you might think you would get H as well but this is too unstable to be formed and is captured by something else (X)—you will see what X is in a moment. This initial decomposition of RHgH initiates the chain but its propagation is by the different mechanism shown below. 

---