Imine-functionalized, fluorescent organomercury and -tellurium compounds

Unsymmetrical diorganotellurium(IV) dihalides, Ar′(Ar)TeCl₂ [Ar′ = 2-(R-CHN-C₆H₃Me; R = 1-pyrenyl, 9-anthracenyl and 9-phenanthrenyl; Ar = 4-MeO-C₆H₄, 1-C₁₀H₇, 2,4,6-Me₃-C₆H₂, C₆H₅, 4-Me-C₆H₄] were synthesized from transmetallation reactions of Ar′HgCl and ArTeCl₃. Orthomercuration of the Schiff’s bases (Ar′H) afforded Ar′HgCl. All of these compounds have been characterized with the help of IR, multinuclear (¹H, ¹³C) solution NMR and ESI-HRMS spectrometry. X-ray crystal structures of pyrenyl Ar′HgCl; pyrenyl Ar′(Ar)TeCl₂ (Ar = 4-MeO-C₆H₄); anthranyl Ar′(Ar)TeCl₂ (Ar = 4-MeO-C₆H₄ and 1-C₁₀H₇) and; phenathranyl Ar′(Ar)TeCl₂ (Ar = 1-C₁₀H₇) have been determined. Intramolecular Hg/Te?N interactions are present in these structures. Fluorescence studies of these compounds have also been carried out.