Optimizing the Synthesis of Tetratellurafulvalene

A systematic synthetic study of the pi-donor tetratellurafulvalene (TTeF, 6) has resulted in an optimized preparation producing repeatable yields of over 20%. The use of a "one-step" Li/Sn metal exchange/Te(0) insertion procedure and freshly prepared microcrystalline Te(0) serve to drive toward products, the equilibria converting (Z)-1,2-bis(trimethylstannyl)ethylene (1) to its corresponding metal-exchanged vinyllithium species and subsequently to lithium ditellurolate 5. Furthermore, the use of LiCl as an additive to enhance the reactivity of n-BuLi in these metal exchange reactions also increases yields and reproducibility. The slow addition of 1 equiv of tetrahaloethylene during the final cyclization step favors intramolecular reactions which produce TTeF vs intermolecular reactions that lead to oligomeric byproducts. The use of tetrabromoethylene in place of tetrachloroethylene in this step also reduces byproduct formation.