New tellurium-containing ring systems

The recent discovery of a suitable synthesis of the monoanionic ditelluroimidodiphosphinate ligands TePR₂NPR₂Te]⁻ (R = Ph, ⁱPr, ^tBu) has facilitated investigations of the fundamental chemistry of these chelating inorganic ligands. This article is focused on aspects of that chemistry in which the behaviour of this ditelluro PNP ligand differs from that of the well-studied dithio and diseleno congeners. The emphasis is on new tellurium-containing ring systems formed in: (a) redox transformations and (b) the synthesis of metal complexes.