Palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling of organic tellurides with alkynes

Alkyl aryl tellurides and a tellurol ester were used as coupling partners in Pd(0)-catalyzed Sonogashira reactions. Microwave-assisted reactions of alkyl aryl tellurides with alkynes in the presence of CuI and catalytic amounts of Pd(PPh3)4 produced alkynyl arenes. Similarly, a tellurol ester on reaction with alkynes afforded alkynyl phenyl ketones in the presence of CuI and a catalytic amount of Pd(PPh3)4 at room temperature.