Hydrotelluration and carbotelluration of acetylenic sulfoxides: regio- and stereoselective preparation of α- and β-organotellurovinyl sulfoxides

(Z)-β-Organotellurovinyl sulfoxides were synthesized via a highly regio- and stereoselective anti-hydrotelluration of acetylenic sulfoxides. α-Organotellurovinyl sulfoxides were obtained from a three component syn-carbotelluration reaction of acetylenic sulfoxides, that is, syn-addition of monoorganocopper reagents to acetylenic sulfoxides followed by the electrophilic reaction of the vinyl copper intermediates with benzenetellurenyl iodide at low temperature. Synthetic applications of the organotellurovinyl sulfoxides have been investigated.