Hexavalent telluriumcompounds, Ar5(CH3)Te, Ar4(CH3)2Te, and Ar2(CH3)4Te (Ar=4-CF3C6H4, Ph, 4-CH3C6H4), were synthesized by the reaction of Ar2-n(CH3)nTe (n=0–1) or Ar3-m(CH3)mTe+X- (m=0–2) with KC8 followed by the treatment with CH3I.
The potassium ion intercalated in graphite results in unique reactivity of Ar5 Te- K+ C8 (1), formed by cleavage of one of the Te-C(Ar) bonds of Ar6 Te by KC8 . Thus, 1 reacted quantitatively with CH3 I to give Ar5 TeCH3 , which was not obtainable from Ar5 Te- Li+ . The Te-CH3 bond of Ar5 TeCH3 is cleaved in preference to the Te-C(Ar) bonds, and formation of Ar4 Te(CD3 )2 suggests the intermediacy of the hypervalent dianion Ar4 Te2- .