I would just like to ask what happens to the charges (+2) on the salt of a heavy metal as it disrupts disulfide bridges.

Question

like for example

-CH2-S-S-CH2- + Hg2+ = CH2-S-Hg2+ and Hg2+-S-CH2 (were the salts retains its charges)

or

-CH2-S-S-CH2- + Hg2+ = CH2-S-Hg and Hg-S-CH2 (were the salts become neutral)

Hoping someone can answer my query since I am beginning to get confused.

Answer 1

It will take 2 moles of the salt to react with 1 mole of the compound containing the disulfide bridge.

Example: -CH₂-S-S-CH₂- + 2Hg²⁺ ==> -CH₂-S-Hg²⁺ + Hg²⁺-S-CH₂-