A new, practical synthesis of organotellurium compounds from organic halides and silyl tellurides. Remarkable effects of polar solvents and leaving groups

Silyl tellurides react with organic halides to give the corresponding organotellurium compounds and silyl halides in good to excellent yields. Substitution proceeds in polar solvents, such as acetonitrile, but not in nonpolar solvents under identical conditions. The leaving group also plays a significant role, with alkyl bromides being the most reactive, alkyl chlorides less so and alkyl iodides the least reactive. After removal of the volatile silyl halides and solvent under vacuum, the essentially pure organotellurium compounds, which can be used directly as precursors for carbocations, carbanions, and carbon-centered radicals, were obtained.