Optically active telluronium imides: Optical resolution,absolute configuration,and mechanism of racemization

Thermodynamically and kinetically stabilized asymmetric diaryltelluronium imides were synthesized and optically resolved into their enantiomers on an optically active column using medium‐pressure column chromatography. The relationship between the absolute configuration and the optical properties of the chiral telluronium imides was clarified. The mechanism of the racemization, which involves the formation of telluroxides by the hydrolysis of the telluronium imides, was proposed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 14:523–529, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10185