With Alkylsilanes, Alkylgermanes, or Alkylstannanes

When tellurium powder and triethylsilane were heated in an evacuated tube at 280° for 22 hours, bis[triethylsilyl] tellurium was formed in 70% yield . Triethylgermane and triethylstannane reacted sinlilarly. 

Bis[triethylsilyl] Tellurium In an ampoule flushed with nitrogen are placed 0.65 g (5.1 mmol) of finely ground tellurium and 1.20 g (10.3 mmol) of triethylsilane. The ampoule is cooled in liquid nitrogen, sealed, and then heated at 280° for 22 h. 400 mt of hydrogen containing traces of hydrogen telluride arc formed. The ampoule is cooled, opened carefully, and the liquid products are fractionated under vacuum yield 5.2 g (71%) b.p. 134°/5torr. 

The reaction between tellurium and 1,1,2,2-tetra-r-butyldigermane at 220° produced quantitatively 2,2,4,4-tetra-t-butyl-l,3,2,4-ditelluradigermetane. This compound decomposes quickly with deposition of tellurium.  

Tellurium and dimethylstannane at 20° produced 2,2,4,4,6,6-hexamethyl-l,3,5,2,4,6-tritelluratristanninane when an excess of tellurium was used, and 2,2,4,4,5,5-hexamethyl-1,3,2,4,5-diteUuratristanninane, when the stoichiometrically required amounts of the reagents were employed . The heterocycles decompose in air and at elevated temperatures. 

6-Hexamethyl-l,3 5,2,4,6-tritelluratristanninane 6.6 g (30 mmol) of dichlorodimethylstannane or 4.94 g (30 mmol) of dimethyl tin oxide in 50 m/ of diethyl ether are reduced to dimethylstannane with 0.76 g (20 mmol) of lithium aluminum hydride. After 1 h, a stream of nitrogen is passed over the reaction mixture and through a cold trap containing more than the stoichiometrically required amount of tellurium cooled in a dry ice/acetone bath. When all volatile material has condensed in the trap it is warmed to 20°, and the mixture is stirred under nitrogen for 3 days. The mixture is then filtered, the solvent is removed from the filtrate under reduced pressure, and the residue is recrystallized from petroleum ether (b.p. 50-70°) yield 4.8 g (58%) m.p. 78° yellow needles. 

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