Abstract

Diaryl ditellurides were reacted with various organosulfur and organoselenium ligands. The tellurium-tellurium bond in a diaryl ditelluride (R₂Te₂) is very weak and is readily cleaved by an oxidizing agent to produce an aryltellurium (II) fragment. The tellurium fragment is electron deficient and acts as a weak Lewis acid. Three coordinate "T-shaped" tellurium (II) complexes can then be formed by adding an organophosphorus ligand which can coordinate through a sulfur or selenium atom, which donates an electron pair to the metal center.

Known tellurium compounds were synthesized to establish a procedure for the creation of new three coordinate tellurium complexes. The ditellurides were placed in a Schlenk flask with a pre-determined amount of the chosen ligand under a nitrogen atmosphere. The reactants were then dissolved in a suitable solvent ( e.g. methanol) and a solution of a halogen was added to act as the oxidizing agent. Products were obtained by classic organometallic chemical techniques: removal of the solvent under reduced pressure and subsequent washing with hexane under an inert atmosphere. The products were then dried by vacuum suction. Melting point determinations were performed to characterize the resulting solid. Phosphorus and proton NMR, micro-analytical studies, and X-ray analyses were done to verify the identity of the compound.