The First Orthotelluric Acid Polysilylesters: Synthesis and Crystal Structure of [(Me3SiO)8Te2O2] and [(Me4Si2O2)3Te]

The compounds [(Me₃SiO)₈Te₂O₂] ( 1 ) and [(Me₄Si₂O₂)₃Te] ( 2 ) have been prepared in good yields through Bronsted acid‐base reaction of Te(OH)₆ with Me₃SiNEt₂ and Me₄Si₂(NEt₂)₂, respectively. They have been characterised by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and single crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses. The formation of dinuclear 1 is the result of fast intermolecular condensation of two partially silylated orthotelluric acid units during the esterification process. Its structure consists of two edge‐fused TeO₆‐octahedra, bearing a four‐membered Te₂O₂ ring as central motif. In contrast, the main structural feature of chiral 2 is a TeO₆ octahedron which is fully silylated by three bidentate 1,1,2,2‐tetramethyldisilanediyl units, resulting in a racemic mixture. The metastability of 2 is remarkable since the Te(+ 6) center usually acts as a strong oxidation reagent toward the Si–Si bond in disilanes. 1 and 2 represent potential starting compounds for molecular Te_xO_y aggregates as hybrid components for new glasses by sol‐gel procedure.