Diphenylditelluride is the chemical compound with the formula (C6H5Te)2, abbreviated Ph2Te2. This orange-coloured solid is the oxidized derivative of the unstable benzenetellurol, PhTeH. Ph2Te2 is used as a source of the PhTe unit in organic synthesis and as a catalyst for redox reactions. The compound is a strong nucleophile, easily displacing halides. It also adds electrophilically across multiple bonds, and traps radicals.
Preparation
Ph2Te2 is prepared by the oxidation of tellurophenolate, which is generated via the Grignard reagent:4
PhMgBr + Te → PhTeMgBr 2PhTeMgBr + 0.5 O2 + H2O → Ph2Te2 + 2 MgBr(OH)The molecule has C2 symmetry.
References
Mohan, Balaji; Yoon, Chohye; Jang, Seongwan; Park, Kang Hyun (2015). "Copper Nanoparticles Catalyzed Se(Te)-Se(Te) Bond Activation: A Straightforward Route Towards Unsymmetrical Organochalcogenides from Boronic Acids". ChemCatChem. 7 (3): 405–412. doi:10.1002/cctc.201402867. ISSN 1867-3880. S2CID 97000699. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩
Alberto, Eduardo E.; Muller, Lisa M.; Detty, Michael R. (2014). "Rate Accelerations of Bromination Reactions with NaBr and H2O2 via the Addition of Catalytic Quantities of Diaryl Ditellurides". Organometallics. 33 (19): 5571–5581. doi:10.1021/om500883f. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩
Crich, David; Yao Qingwei. "Diphenyl ditelluride". Encyclopedia of Reactants for Organic Synthesis. doi:10.1002/047084289X.rd416. /w/index.php?title=Encyclopedia_of_Reactants_for_Organic_Synthesis&action=edit&redlink=1 ↩
Crich, D.; Yao, Q. "Diphenyl Ditelluride" in Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis (Ed: L. Paquette) 2004, J. Wiley & Sons, New York. doi:10.1002/047084289X.rd416. /wiki/Doi_(identifier) ↩