Telluroxide Explained

A telluroxide is a type of organotellurium compound with the formula R₂TeO. These compounds are analogous to sulfoxides in some respects. Reflecting the decreased tendency of Te to form multiple bonds, telluroxides exist both the monomer and the polymer, which are favored in solution and the solid state, respectively:^[1]

(R₂TeO)_n n R₂TeOTelluroxides are prepared from the telluroethers by halogenation followed by base hydrolysis:

R₂Te + Br₂ → R₂TeBr₂

R₂TeBr₂ + 2 NaOH → R₂TeO + 2 NaBr + H₂O

References

1. Jens Beckmann, Dainis Dakternieks, Andrew Duthie, François Ribot, Markus Schürmann, and Naomi A. Lewcenko "New Insights into the "Structures of Diorganotellurium Oxides. The First Polymeric Diorganotelluroxane [(p-MeOC₆H₄)₂TeO]_n" Organometallics, 2003, volume 22, 3257–3261.