The reactions of a wide variety of alkyl halides with mercury (I) and/or (II) nitrate in 1, 2- dimethoxyethane, mercury (II) acetate in acetic acid, aqueous mercury (II) perchlorate, and mercury (II) perchlorate in alcohol solvents have been investigated; as a result, simple high yield procedures for the conversion of alkyl halides into the corresponding nitrate esters, acetate esters, alcohols and ethers have been developed.