
Organotellurium chemistry

Organotellurium chemistry in chemistry describes the synthesis and properties of chemical compounds containing a carbon to tellurium chemical bond. Organotellurium chemistry was developed in the wake of organoselenium chemistry and, though sharing the same group in the periodic table, their chemistries are very different given the inversion of polarity in the chalcogen-carbon bond.
Functional groups.
The Te analogues of common organosulfur functional groups are known. Tellurols are unstable. Diorganomono- and ditellurides are the most commonly encountered organotellurium compounds. Telluroxides (R2TeO) are also known.
Synthesis.
Commonly used tellurium based reagents are hydrogen telluride, NaHTe, sodium telluride, and PhTeLi. Because Te is insoluble and polymeric, it is often not a useful precursor to organotellurium compounds, but it is attacked by hydride reducing agents:
and organolithium compounds:
One departure from sulfur and selenium chemistry is the availability of the tetrachloride TeCl4. Tellurium tetrachloride reacts with alkenes and alkynes to the chloro tellurium trichloride addition product:
These organotellurium derivatives are susceptible to further reactions.
Applications.
Organotellurium compounds have few applications. Dimethyl telluride is used to in the metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy where it serves as a volatile source of Te. It is the only organotellurium compound that has been quantified in environmental samples.
Organic synthesis.
Diphenyl ditelluride is used as a source of PhTe− in organic synthesis.
Some of its reactions are:
Other methods in organotellurium chemistry include: