Oxytelluration of olefins to (β-alkoxy- and β-hydroxy-alkyl)aryltellurium dihalides and their reactions with reducing agents and aqueous NaOH

Treatment of olefinic hydrocarbons with phenyltellurium tribromide or a mixture of diphenylditelluride and bromine in alcohol affords (β-alkoxyalkyl)phenyltellurium dibromides in fair to good yield (alkoxytelluration of olefins). Various aryltellurium trichlorides, diphenylditelluride/CuCl₂, and phenyltellurocyanate/CuCl₂ can be used for the preparation of (β-alkoxyalkyl)aryltellurium dichlorides. Similar reactions in aqueous tetrahydrofuran or aqueous t-butyl alcohol result in the formation of the corresponding β-hydroxy compound (hydroxytelluration of olefins). The reaction is trans stereospecific in the cases of cis-2-butene and cis- and trans-4-octenes and regiospecific in the cases of all terminal olefins examined (1-hexene, 1-octene, 1-decene, styrene, α-methylstyrene, 2-methyl-1-pentene, and isobutylene), tellurium species attacking the terminal carbon solely. The diorganyltellurium dihalide produced is reduced to the corresponding diorganyltelluride by reducing agents such as N₂H₄, Na₂S, Na₂S₂O₃, and NaHSO₄ in aqueous solution. Treatment of the diorganyltellurium dibromide with aqueous NaOH affords either an allylic ether (by telluroxide elimination) or a telluroxide depending on the structure of the telluroxide.