SYNTHESES AND REACTIVITIES OF FERROCENYL ORGANYL TELLURIDES

Twenty new ferrocenyl organyl (alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl) tellurides were synthesized by using diferrocenyl ditelluride and characterized s pectroscopically. Cinnamyl and benzyl ferrocenyl tellurides were revea led to be air stable enough to be isolated, in sharp contrast to the c orresponding air sensitive phenyl tellurides. Treatment of some alkyl ferrocenyl tellurides with 1 mol equiv of m-chloroperbenzoic acid (MCP BA) in diethyl ether at 25-degrees-C for 2 h in the presence of trieth ylamine or tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) afforded the corresponding alkene s in fair to good yields via telluroxide elimination. The MCPBA or air oxidation of some allylic ferrocenyl tellurides in ethanol produced t he corresponding allylic alcohols via [2,3] sigmatropic rearrangement. H-1 NMR and electronic absorption spectroscopic studies revealed that donor-acceptor complexes between alkyl ferrocenyl tellurides and TCNE were produced, an improvement of telluroxide elimination in the prese nce of TCNE being attributed to this complex formation.