The second order molecular susceptibility, β, of twelve arylmercuric nitrophenylacetylides which possess a linear molecular configuration has been determined with solvatochromism technique to be in the order of 10^-^2^9esu. There is no close relationship between the electronic property of the substituent (D) and the value of β, indicating that an effective intramolecular charge-transfer from D to nitro group does not exist. λmax of all the compounds in electronic spectra are in the range of 310±7nm, which are over 60nm shorter than those of some other conjugated organic molecules which possess similar β value. The condition and limitation of using this technique to determine β of organometallic molecules are discussed.

Key words: ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROPHOTOMETRY, INFRARED SPECTROPHOTOMETRY, ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS, MASS SPECTROGRAPHY, NMR SPECTROMETRY, NITROBENZENE P, PHENYL ACETYLENE, POLARIZABILITIES, ORGANO-MERCURIC COMPOUND