Low-temperature 1H, 13C, 77Se,and 125Te NMR studies on the apical-apical ligand exchange via the hypervalent tellurium and selenium ate complexes [10-M-3(C3); M = Se,Te] in the reactions of diaryl tellurides and selenides with aryllithium reagents

Pentafluorophenyl phenyl telluride ( 1 ) and 3,5-dichloro-2,4,6-trifluorophenyl phenyl telluride ( 2 ) react with pentafluorophenyllithium or 3,5-dichloro-2,4,6-trifluorophenyllithium in THF at low temperatures to form the corresponding tellurium ate complexes ( A ) and ( B ) as sole intermediates in the ligand exchange on the hypervalent tellurium atom. The corresponding selenides ( 3 ) and ( 4 ) also react with identical aryllithium reagents in THF to form the discrete intermediates, selenium ate complexes ( C ) and ( D ), in the exchange reactions. In these ligand exchange reactions of tellurides and selenides, electron-withdrawing ligands occupy the apical positions and the exchange takes place between these apical-oriented groups. The low-temperature ¹H, ¹³C, ⁷⁷Se, and ¹²⁵Te NMR spectroscopic techniques are effective methods for detection of unstable tellurium and selenium ate complexes.