Preparation, Crystal Structures, and Isomerization of the Tellurium Diimide Dimers RNTe(&mgr;-NR')(2)TeNR (R = R' = (t)Bu; R = PPh(2)NSiMe(3), R' = (t)Bu, (t)Oct): X-ray Structure of the Telluradiazole Dimer [(t)Bu(2)C(6)H(2)N(2)Te](2)

The reaction of R'NHLi (R = (t)Bu, (t)Oct) with Ph(2)P(NSiMe(3))(2)Te(Cl)NPPh(2)NSiMe(3) in toluene at -78 degrees C, followed by warming to 23 degrees C, produces the tellurium diimide dimers RNTe(&mgr;-NR')(2)TeNR (2a, R' = (t)Bu, R = NPPh(2)NSiMe(3); 2b, R' = (t)Oct, R = NPPh(2)NSiMe(3)) and Ph(2)P(NHSiMe(3))(NSiMe(3)). X-ray analyses revealed that 2a and 2b have centrosymmetric structures containing a planar four-membered Te(2)N(2) ring and short exocyclic tellurium-nitrogen bond lengths (d(Te-N) = 1.900(5) and 1.897(4) or 1.905(4) ? for 2a and 2b, respectively). The exocyclic imido substituents adopt a trans arrangement with respect to the Te(2)N(2) ring. By contrast, the reaction of 2,4,6-(t)Bu(3)C(6)H(2)NHLi with Ph(2)P(NSiMe(3))(2)Te(Cl)NPPh(2)NSiMe(3) in toluene under similar conditions produces the telluradiazole ((t)Bu(2)C(6)H(2)N(2)Te)(2) (3), which exists as a weakly associated dimer in the solid state with intramolecular Te-N distances of 2.628(4) ?. The tellurium diimide dimer (t)BuNTe(&mgr;-N(t)Bu)(2)TeN(t)Bu (2c'), prepared by the reaction of TeCl(4) with (t)BuNHLi in a 1:4 molar ratio, consists of a folded Te(2)N(2) ring with exocyclic N(t)Bu groups in a cis orientation. The (1)H, (31)P, and (125)Te NMR spectra of 2a and 2b indicate that the trans isomers slowly transform into the corresponding cis isomers in solution. Crystals of 2b are triclinic, space group P&onemacr; (No. 2), with a = 13.304(3) ?, b = 16.927(3) ?, c = 13.292(5) ?, alpha = 98.94(2), beta = 109.27(2), gamma = 69.04(2) degrees, V = 2636(1) ?(3), and Z = 4. The final R and R(w) values were 0.034 and 0.033, respectively. Crystals of 2c' are orthorhombic, space group Pnma (No. 62), with a = 9.535(3) ?, b = 14.264(3) ?, c = 16.963(4) ?, V = 2307.1(9) ?(3), and Z = 4. The final R and R(w) values were 0.040 and 0.040, respectively. Crystals of 3 are monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n (No. 14), with a = 9.117(3) ?, b = 11.481(4) ?, c = 16.550(4) ?, beta = 97.76(2) degrees, V = 1716.5(8) ?(3), and Z = 4. The final R and R(w) values were 0.031 and 0.034, respectively.