Diphenylditelluride is the
chemical compound with the formula (C
6H
5Te)
2, abbreviated
Ph2Te
2 This orange-coloured solid is the oxidized derivative of the unstable benzenetellurol, PhTeH. Ph
2Te
2 is used as a source of the PhTe unit in
organic synthesis
Organic synthesis is a special branch of chemical synthesis and is concerned with the intentional construction of organic compounds. Organic molecules are often more complex than inorganic compounds, and their synthesis has developed into one o ...
and as a
catalyst for
redox reactions.
Preparation
Ph
2Te
2 is prepared by the oxidation of tellurophenolate, which is generated via the
Grignard reagent
A Grignard reagent or Grignard compound is a chemical compound with the general formula , where X is a halogen and R is an organic group, normally an alkyl or aryl. Two typical examples are methylmagnesium chloride and phenylmagnesium bromide ...
:
[Crich, D.; Yao, Q. "Diphenyl Ditelluride" in Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis (Ed: L. Paquette) 2004, J. Wiley & Sons, New York. {{doi, 10.1002/047084289X.rd416.]
:
PhMgBr + Te → PhTeMgBr
:2PhTeMgBr + 0.5 O
2 + H
2O → Ph
2Te
2 + 2 MgBr(OH)
The molecule has ''C
2''
symmetry
Symmetry (from grc, συμμετρία "agreement in dimensions, due proportion, arrangement") in everyday language refers to a sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance. In mathematics, "symmetry" has a more precise definit ...
.
References
Phenyl compounds
Organotellurium compounds