From Diphenyl Tellurium

Diphenyl tellurium heated with diazotetraphenylcyclopentadiene produced diphenyl tetraphenylcyclopentadienylidene tellurium.  

Equimolar mixtures of diaryl tellurium imides and 5,5-dimethyl-l, 3-dioxocyclohexane at 20° formed diaryl 4,4-dimethyl-2,6-dioxo-cyclohexylidene tellurium.  

Bis[4-methoxyphenyl] 4,4-Dimethyl-2,6-dioxo-cyclohexylidene Tellurium 0.51 g (1 mmol) of bis[4-meth-oxyphenyl] 4-methylbenzenesulfonylimino tellurium and 0.14 g (1 mmol) of 5,5-dimethyl-l,3-dioxocyclo-hexane are added to 25 ml of anhydrous chloroform and the mixture is kept at 20° overnight. Chloroform is then removed in a rotatory evaporator, the residue is triturated with diethyl ether, and the solid is collected and recrystallized from benzene/hexane (2/1) yield 0.41 g (86%) m.p. 144°. 

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Because diaryl telluriums can be prepared from aromatic hydrocarbons and tellurium followed by reduction of the diaryl tellurium dichlorides, the overall reaction sequence converts arenes to biaryls. The formation of benzene from diphenyl tellurium and Raney nickel was also reported3. 

Bis[4-methoxyphenyl] tellurium, obtained from 4-methoxybenzene and tellurium tetrachloride and reduction of the resultant bis[4-methoxyphenyl] tellurium dichloride, was converted to methyl 4-methoxybenzoate in 99% yield1. Methyl benzoate was similarly obtained from diphenyl tellurium in yields higher than 90%. These reactions can be carried out with catalytic amounts of palladium(II) chloride when copper(II) chloride is used as an oxidant1. 

Diphenyl tellurium succinate and phthalate were found to be monomeric4. Diphenyl tellurium phthalate prepared from diphenyl tellurium dichloride and sodium phthalate was claimed to be dimeric7. Diphenyl tellurium oxide and propiolactones formed oligomeric compounds4. 

Only two representatives of this class of tellurium compounds are known. They were prepared in quantitative yields from diphenyl tellurium iodide cyanide and silver pseudohalides2. 

Another group of polymeric organic tellurium compounds was obtained from diphenyl tellurium dichloride and disilver salts of dicarboxylic acids. 

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