Synthesis, spectroscopic and structural characterisation of complexes of the new ditelluroether 1,2-bis(methyltelluromethyl)benzene, o-C6H4(CH2TeMe)2. X-ray structures of [Mn(CO)3Cl{o-C6H4(CH2TeMe)2}] and [W(CO)4{o-C6H4(CH2TeMe)2}]

The synthesis of the new xylyl-backboned ditelluroether, 1,2-bis(methyltelluromethyl)benzene, o-C6H4(CH2TeMe)2 (xyte) is described. A range of complexes — [Mn(CO)3Cl(xyte)], [M(CO)4(xyte)] (M=Mo or W), [M′Cl2(xyte)], [M′(xyte)2][PF6]2 (M′=Pd or Pt), trans-[RuCl2(xyte)2], trans-[OsCl2(xyte)2], [Cu(xyte)2]PF6 and [Ag(xyte)2]CF3SO3, have been prepared and characterised by analysis, IR, UV–visible, and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. The crystal structure of [Mn(CO)3Cl(xyte)] shows the expected fac geometry with a meso-2 xyte ligand conformation, and the meso-conformation is also found in [W(CO)4(xyte)]. The xyte complexes provide the first detailed studies of a 7-membered ring ditelluroether chelate, and the properties are compared with those of MeTe(CH2)3TeMe or o-C6H4(TeMe)2 to explore the effects of chelate ring size.