ASPECTS OF THE CHEMISTRY OF DIORGANO TRITELLURIDES

The synthetic methods available for diorgano tritellurides, which norm ally give only poor to moderate yields of product, are evaluated. Most reliable when organic groups such as 2-(2'-pyridyl)phenyl- are involv ed is the reaction of Te2- with the organotellurenyl halide in DMF. Ot her methods require a final oxidative step. Reactions of Te-2(2-) with organotellurenyl halides in DMF give deep red solutions which quantit atively deposit tellurium on exposure to air; successful syntheses of (RTe)2Se2 (R = 2-(2'-pyridyl or 2'-quinolinyl)phenyl-) were carried ou t by use of Se-2(2-) in DMF solution. The air stable bis-[2-(p-tolylim inomethyl)phenyl] tritelluride is reported, and its Te-125 and Raman s pectral data presented. The role of intra-molecular coordination in st abilising these molecules may be a secondary one; the steric effect of a bulky 2-substituent on the tellurated phenyl-ring may be more signi ficant.