Crystal Structure, Mercury Perrhenates, Phase TransitionsThe previously reported mercury perrhenate Hg5 Re2O 10, prepared hydrothermally, has now been obtained by reaction of HgO with the mercury(II) metaperrhenate H g (R e 0 4)2 in sealed silica tubes. A second modification o f this compound can be obtained by reaction of elem ental mercury with H g (R e 0 4)2 also in sealed silica tubes. Its crystal structure has been determined from single-crystal X-ray data: P 2 x/c, a -861.5(1), b = 1200.9(2), c = 1203.9(2) pm, ß = 97.15(1)°, Z = 4, R = 0.024 for 1733 structure factors and 105 variables. Both modifi cations may be represented by the formula H g2+-2H g20 -2 R e 0 4_, indicating that mercury occurs in oxidation states I and II. In both modifications the mercury and some oxygen atoms form two-dimensionally infinte, puckered, cationic nets of the composition (H g2+-2H g20 )" , which are separated by the R e 0 4~ tetrahedra. In the modification reported earlier the mer cury oxygen nets consist of condensed 16-membered rings, while the nets of the present modification contain 10-and 22-membered rings.