Organotellurium Derivatives—Synthesis, Structure, Supramolecular Associations and SHG Efficiency

Abstract

Non‐covalent interactions [Te‐‐‐X (X=Cl, Br, I, O, S)], secondary bonds, and C‐H‐‐‐X (X=O, I) hydrogen bonds induced supramolecular associations of organotelluriums have been synthesised and X‐ray characterised. The immediate coordination geometry around a central tellurium atom is a pseudotrigonal bipyramidal with a stereochemically active electron lone pair. Tetraorganotelluroxanes, charge transfer (CT) complexes and bis (ferrocenyl carboxylato) telluranes, possibly useful in material science, have been synthesised and X‐ray characterised. Select organotellurium derivatives have been tested for their second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency. Cyclic voltammetric studies of ferrocenyl carboxylato derivatives show that they may be useful for two‐electron redox catalysis.

Keywords:

• organotelluriums
• X‐ray structure
• supramolecular association
• SHG efficiency

Acknowledgments

Dedicated to Professor Dr. Herbert W. Roesky whose contribution to inorganic and organometallic chemistry and whose working methodology is an inspiration to active workers in the field. The author wishes to express his gratitude to Prof R. J. Butcher of Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA for collaboration (X‐ray structures) and thanks are due to coworkers whose names are cited in the references. Financial support from Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are gratefully acknowledged.