Synthesis and reactivity of para-substituted benzoylmethyltellurium(II and IV) compounds: observation of intermolecular C–H–O hydrogen bonding in the crystal structure of (p-MeOC6H4COCH2)2TeBr2

Bis(p-substituted benzoylmethyl)tellurium dibromides, (p-YC6H4COCH2)2TeBr2, (Y=H (1a), Me (1b), MeO (1c)) can be prepared either by direct insertion of elemental Te across CRf–Br bonds (where CRf refers to α-carbon of a functionalized organic moiety) or by the oxidative addition of bromine to (p-YC6H4COCH2)2Te (Y=H (2a), Me (2b), MeO (2c)). Bis(p-substituted benzoylmethyl)tellurium dichlorides, (p-YC6H4COCH2)2TeCl2 (Y=H (3a), Me (3b), MeO (3c)), are prepared by the reaction of the bis(p-substituted benzoylmethyl)tellurides 2a–c with SO2Cl2, whereas the corresponding diiodides (p-YC6H4COCH2)2TeI2 (Y=H (4a), Me (4b), MeO (4c)) can be obtained by the metathetical reaction of 1a–c with KI, or alternatively, by the oxidative addition of iodine to 2a–c. The reaction of 2a–c with allyl bromide affords the diorganotellurium dibromides 1a–c, rather than the expected triorganotelluronium bromides. Compounds 1–4 were characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectroscopy, 1H, 13C and 125Te NMR spectroscopy (solution and solid-state) and in case of 1c also by X-ray crystallography. (p-MeOC6H4COCH2)2TeBr2 (1c) provides, a rare example, among organotellurium compounds, of a supramolecular architecture, where C–H–O hydrogen bonds appear to be the non-covalent intermolecular associative force that dominates the crystal packing.