Cyanide, tetraethylammonium tetraphenylarsonium

The tellurocyanate ion is stabilized by bulky onium cations. The reactions of tellurium with tetraethylammonium cyanide in dimethylformamide or acetonitrile , with tetramethyl-ammonium cyanide in acetonitrile , with tetraphenylarsonium cyanide in acetonitrile , or with bis[triphenylphosphane]iminium cyanide in acetone produced onium tellurocyanates that were isolated by evaporation of the solvent. The dry salts are reported to be unaffected by oxygen . Moist air and wet solvents decompose the tellurocyanates with depostion of tellurium . 

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