Piperidin-1-ylamidomethyltellurium derivatives: Synthesis and solid state structures

Abstract

Oxidative insertion of low valent tellurium, Te(0) and Te(II), into the CBr bond of α-bromoacetylpiperidine proceeds readily under mild conditions and provides a direct synthetic route to stable, crystalline piperidin-1-ylamidomethyltellurium(IV) dibromides, (C5H10NCOCH2)2TeBr2, 1b and (C5H10NCOCH2)ArTeBr2 (Ar=2,4,6-Me3C6H2, 2b; 1-C10H7, 3b; 4-MeC6H4, 4b). While the bisulfite reduction of 1b affords a yellow coloured telluroether, (C5H10NCOCH2)2Te, 1 as an oil, that of the unsymmetrical diorganotellurium dibromides, (C5H10NCOCH2)ArTeBr2 leads to the isolation of the respective diarylditellurides, ArTeTeAr. The symmetrical telluroether, 1 adds dihalogens oxidatively to give piperidin-1-ylamidomethyltellurium(IV) dihalides, (C5H10NCOCH2)2TeX2 (X=Cl, 1a; Br, 1b and I, 1c;). All the new piperidin-1-ylamidomethyltellurium derivatives have been characterized by elemental and 1H, 13C, 125Te NMR spectral analyses. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction data for 1b and 1c indicated a butterfly molecular shape for the two halo analogues in which the six-member heterocyclic rings in the organic ligands retain the chair conformation of the independent piperidine molecule. The piperidin-1-yl appended organic ligand invariably results in the amido O atom being involved in an intramolecular Te O secondary bonding interaction and acts as a small-bite (C, O) chelating agent, at least in the solid state. Steric congestion around the six-coordinate Te(IV) atom and the partial positive charge on N owing to the resonating character of the NCO amido group prevents these atoms from participating in the intermolecular associative forces. Instead, the weak CH⋯O and CH⋯Br interactions take centre-stage in the solid state self-assembly.