Mechanism of the reaction gas chromatography of phenylmercury(II) compounds.

By combining radio-gas chromatography with liquid scintillation counting and with thin-layer chromatography-autoradiography, the conversion of symmetrical phenylmercury(II) compounds into phenylmercury(II) chloride and mercury(II) chloride in gas chromatography in the nanogram range has been demonstrated. The chlorine atoms necessary for this reaction are supplied by the Si-Cl-groups of cholorosilanized materials. The composition of the eluates depends on the concentration of the Si-Cl-groups.