New Insights into the Formation and Structure of Diaryl Tritellurides

The reaction of 8-dimethylamino-1-naphthyllithium diethyl etherate with tellurium powder and subsequent O2 oxidation was reinvestigated. Besides the previously reported bis[8-(dimethylamino)naphthyl] ditelluride (1), the new bis[8-(dimethylamino)naphthyl] tritelluride (2) was isolated in 42% yield and fully characterized. Low-temperature 125Te NMR spectroscopy provides evidence to suggest that analytically pure 2 is in equilibrium with 1 and bis[8-(dimethylamino)naphthyl] tetratelluride (2a).