Telluroxide elimination by direct oxidation of alkyl phenyl telluride

Treatment of sec-alkyl phenyl tellurides, except for the cyclohexyl system, with m-chloroperbenzoic acid(MCPBA) in diethyl ether readily afforded the corresponding olefins in good yields presumably via telluroxide elimination together with small amounts of alcohols and ketones. In the pri-alkyl and cyclohexyl cases the adducts between MCPBA and the tellurides were isolated as stable organotellurium(IV) compounds which gave similar elimination products by neat pyrolysis at 220–2500°C.