Chemical alkylation of lead (II) salts to tetraalkyllead (IV) in aqueous solution

Abstract

Methylation of lead in the environment would have serious consequences for water quality and for the well being of aquatic biota. As there is strong evidence that tetraalkylleads, the end products of lead alkylation, are considerably more toxic than lead (II) compounds^1,2, the elevated levels of inorganic lead now present in inland waterways and sediments as a result of industrial and motor vehicle emissions will pose a serious environmental hazard if mechanisms exist for the conversion to alkyllead (IV) species in aquatic systems. In the belief that the key to biological Pb(II) methylation lies in methyl transfer to Pb(II) from a carbonium ion donor (for example, S-adenosylmethionine), we recently initiated chemical and biological studies on the reactions of CH₃⁺ donors with neutral and anionic Pb(II) compounds. We describe here the unequivocal synthesis of volatile tetramethyllead and other tetraalkylleads from Pb(II) salts and simple chemical reagents in aqueous solution. The known occurrence of methyl iodide in natural waters³ and our demonstration that Me₄Pb is readily synthesized from this reagent and Pb(II) salts in aqueous solution could have far reaching significance not only for the chemical synthesis of toxic organoleads but also for possible mechanisms of microbiological methylation.