Organotellurium compounds as stabilizers for polymeric materials

The thermal stability of a series of organotellurium compounds was determined by thermogravimetric analysis and the stabilizing capacity of the most heat-resistant compounds assessed in natural rubber, polyethylene, and polypropylene by measurement of the oxidative induction time (OIT). The most active compounds, bis[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]telluride (5) and bis[2,6-dimethyl-4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]telluride (10) stabilized natural rubber considerably at the 1% level and even more so at the 2% level. A similar stabilizing effect of compound 5 was found in polyethylene and polypropylene at the 0.1% level.