Oxidation Reactions Promoted or Catalyzed by Organotellurium Compounds

Oxidation of organic substrates is a pivotal transformation, with profound chemical and biological implications. This review covers the synthetic application of organotellurium compounds as promoters or activators of oxidizing agents in such reactions. This research field has evolved from utilizing stoichiometric amounts of organotellurium as oxidizing agents, producing copious amounts of side products, to using this class of compounds as catalysts. Another unique feature associated with using organotellurium compounds as catalysts for oxidation is the possibility of employing less hazardous oxidizing agents, such as peroxides or combinations of oxygen, photosensitizers, and light. These characteristics render the application of organotellurium compounds attractive from both an economic and environmental perspective.