Facile access to organotellurium heterocycles by nitration of bis(3,5-dimethylphenyl) ditelluride

Efficient access to bis(nitrophenyl) ditellurides was developed and their utility for the preparation of novel nitrogen-containing organotellurium heterocycles demonstrated. The nitration of diphenyl ditellurides resulted in their oxidation to benzenetellurinic acids, followed by nitration in ortho or meta positions relative to tellurium. Nitration of bis(3,5-dimethylphenyl) ditelluride furnished bis(3,5-dimethyl-2-nitrophenyl) ditelluride, which was elaborated into 2,4,6-trimethylbenzotellurazole and (Z)-2-methoxycarbonylmethylene-3,4-dihydro-3-oxo-2H-benzo-1,4-tellurazine, the first reported 3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo-1,4-tellurazine. This compound, as well as 2,4,6-trimethyltellurazolium (4-dicyanomethylene-cyclohexa-2,5-dienylidene)cyanoacetate were characterized by x-ray crystallography.