Complexes containing the [TeCl4X]− moiety (X = Cl or an aryl group)

Treatment of TeCl4 with either K[{N(C6H3Pri2-2,6)C(H)}2CPh] [≡K(L)] (1) in thf/Et2O or [H2(L)]Cl (2) in Et2O furnished [Cl4View the MathML sourceTe-Cl⋯⋯HView the MathML source(L+)H⋯⋯OEt2]·0.5(Et2O) (3), whilst 2TeCl4 with a mixture of single equivalent portions of 2,6-Pri2C6H3NH2 and H(L) produced [Cl4View the MathML sourceTe-(C6H2Pri2-3,5-N+H3-4)(thf)2]·0.5(thf)] (4). The X-ray structures of each of crystalline 3 and 4 show that the Te atom is at the centre of an only slightly distorted square pyramid, with a Cl atom of 3 or a C of 4 in the axial position. The N1 and N2 atoms of the π-delocalised β-dialdiminium moiety of 3 have H-bond contacts, involving short N1–H⋯⋯OEt2 and N2–H⋯⋯Cl5 distances. The two longer of the four Te–Cl bonds of 4 are close to the N atom of the neighbouring molecule; whilst two of the H atoms of each View the MathML sourceN+H3 fragment are H-bonded to the O atoms of the two thf ligands, the third being close to two Cl atoms of an adjacent molecule, thus forming H-bonded chains of molecules.