Reactions of β-diketiminates with selenium and tellurium halides

The complexes nacnacTeCl₄] and nacnacSeCl⁺Cl⁻ (nacnac = {N(C₆H₃ⁱPr₂2,6)C(Me)}₂CH]⁻) have been prepared in good yields and characterized in the solid state by X-ray crystallography. The crystals of both compounds show C-H activation of the ligand backbone. In the case of tellurium, no LiCl displacement or nitrogen chelation is observed and an ionic TeCl₄ complex is isolated. By contrast, under similar reaction conditions, the reaction with SeCl₄, affords a cationic Se(II) complex with loss of four chlorines and rearrangement of the chloride atom to the nacnac ligand.