Mercapto acid compounds of tellurium(II): stabilization of tellurium---sulfur bonded compounds via intramolecular chelation

A series of tellurium (II0 compounds of general formula (RS)₂Te (R = C₆H₅---, 2-C₁₀H₇---, HOOCCH₂CH₂---, HOOCCH(Me)---, HOOCCH₂---, 2-(HOOC)C₆H₄---, HOOCCH₂CH(COOH)---, NaOOCCH₂CH₂---, NH₄OOCCH₂CH₂---) have been prepared and characterized. The tellurium compounds containing carboxylic acid or salt groups are isolated as stable, light-yellow solids which are soluble in alcohols or in water, and this stability is thought to be due to tellurium---carbonyl oxygen interactions within the molecule. Bis(benzenethio)tellurium---(II) and bis(2-naphthalenethio)tellurium(II) have been synthesized and are unstable both in the solid state and in solution. Nixed derivatives containing one aryl and one sulfide bonded to tellurium (ArTeSCH₂CH₂COOH) have also been prepared, and the reactions of these compounds with dichlorobis(benzonitrile)palladium(II) yield palladium complexes containing two tellurium ligands.