The effects of various complexing agents on the homogeneous reduction of mercuric salts by molecular hydrogen in aqueous solution were determined. In all cases the kinetics suggest that the rate-determining step is a bimolecular reaction between a mercuric ion or complex and a hydrogen molecule, probably leading to the formation of an intermediate mercury atom. The reactivity of various mercuric complexes was found to decrease in the following order: HgSO4 > Hg++ > HgAc2, HgPr2 > HgCl2 > HgBr2 > Hg(EDA)2++. Addition of anions such as OH−, CO3=, Ac−, Pr−, and Cl−, in excess of the amounts required to form stable mercuric complexes, was found to increase the rate. An interpretation of these effects is given.