Diaryl Telluroxides as Reversible Recognition Arrays in Solution

The use of chalcogen bonding, an interaction that has gained significant attention in recent years, remains limited in supramolecular solution phase applications, often relying on multivalent or charged systems to achieve sufficient binding strength. In this study, we present clear evidence for intermolecular Te···O interactions between diaryl telluroxides in solution. We performed quantum chemical calculations, diffusion-ordered spectroscopy nuclear magnetic resonance (DOSY NMR) experiments, and titration studies, all of which imply the existence of dimeric diaryl telluroxide species in solution. Moreover, these insights were successfully applied to extend the thermal cis half-life of an azobenzene derivative through intramolecular Te···O stabilization, demonstrating the potential of telluroxide-based systems in responsive molecular architectures.