NMR studies on the ligand exchange reactions between diaryl tellurides and phenyllithium: Detection of hypervalent triaryl tellurium ate complexes

Diaryl tellurides undergo rapid ligand exchange and disproportionation reactions on treatment with phenyllithium at −78°C. Triarylteliuranes [10‐Te‐3(C3)]− Li+ were identified as discrete intermediates during the reactions by 125Te, 1H, 13C, and CH‐COSY NMR studies.