2,4,6-Triphenylphenyltellurium(IV) triiodide – supramolecular self-assembling in organotellurium triiodides

2,4,6-Triphenylphenyltellurium(IV) triiodide, (2,4,6-Ph3C6H2)TeI3, can be obtained by the reaction of the corresponding ditelluride {(2,4,6-Ph3C6H2)Te}2 with iodine under an atmosphere of dry nitrogen in toluene. The apparent bisphenoidal coordination sphere of the central tellurium atom is extended by the presence of intermolecular Te⋯I and I⋯I secondary bonds which form chains along the crystallographic a axis. Weak intramolecular interactions with one of the phenyl rings of the (2,4,6-Ph3C6H5) unit completes the pseudo-octahedral coordination geometry around each tellurium atom. A comparison of the structure of (2,4,6-Ph3C6H2)TeI3 with the bonding situations in other organotellurium(IV) triiodides suggests a strong dependence of the formation of supramolecular assemblies on the nature of the organic substituents.