Behaviour of tellurium(IV) chloride, bromide, and iodide in organic solvents and the structures of the species present

Abstract

Molecular weights and conductivity measurements are reported for tellurium tetrachloride, tetrabromide, and tetraiodide in several organic solvents, and far-infrared spectra are also discussed for tellurium tetrachloride. The results indicate that the tetrachloride and tetrabromide are present as associated species (approximately trimeric) in benzene and toluene. The species present when the three tetrahalides are dissolved in the other solvents can be interpreted in terms of an ionic structure [L₂TeX₃]⁺X^–, where L is a molecule of solvent. The behaviour of the tetrachloride in the solid phase and in solution has been rationalised in terms of a bridged polymeric structure similar to that of solid tellurium tetrafluoride.