A variable temperature ^13 C and ^199 Hg NMR study has been conducted for diphenyl-, bis(o-tolyl)-, bis(m-tolyl)-, and bis(2, 6-xylyl)mercury in dimethyl sulfoxide and 1,1,2,2 tetrachloroethane; ^13 C T1 relaxation times are reported as a function of temperature. Barriers to rotation of the aryl rings are obtained. Chemical shifts and couplings in CDCl_3 are given for bis(p-tolyl)-, bis(2, 5-xylyl)-, bis(mesityl)-,phenyl(o-tolyl)-, phenyl(m-tolyl)mercury, and the compounds listed above. The steric interactions of these aryl mercury compounds are discussed.