[redfox]

I'm confused. I'm making 3-trimethylsilylthiophene and an isomer or 2-trimethylsilylthiophene. Suddenly I'm told we're introducing mercury into the equation...I'm not sure why, maybe just to see how it reacts...but the problem is that it's impossible to detect by NMR spectroscopy so must be replaced with Iodine as it acts in the same way and doesn't interfere with anything else. I don't see why mercury would be used in the first place as it'll only be removed, and also. I'm told that it was used a lot way back when but has been almost forgotten about now, which is why I'm to use it...but I dont' know of the benefits of using it. I've tried looking it up but there seems to be nothing on the net and nothing in text books!
Any ideas??
Tis my last question tonight...honestly!

[movies]

¹⁹⁹Hg and ²⁰¹Hg are both naturally abundant (17% and 13%, respectively) and are both NMR active nuclei (spin 1/2 and 3/2, respectively).  So you can observe Hg by NMR!