Organometallic reagents: preparation and reactivity of organic compounds of tellurium

Author(s)

Márcio Santos da Silva

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ)
• Defense date: 2011-11-18

Examining board members

Joao Valdir Comasseto; Leandro Helgueira de Andrade; Liliana Marzorati; Gelson Perin; Cristiano Raminelli

• Advisor: Joao Valdir Comasseto

Abstract

In this PhD thesis synthetic methodologies for the preparation of organic compounds of tellurium employing organometallic reagents were developed. Initially, the SN2 type opening reaction of lactones by means of lithium or magnesium organotellurolates leading to the corresponding carboxylic acids was studied. The metal organotellurolates were prepared by reacting elemental tellurium with organolithium or Grignard reagents, avoiding the manipulation of bad smelling dialkylditellurides. The opening reactions occured easily, leading to the products in good yields (60 - 88 %). The tellurocarboxylic acids were transformed into alcohols by in situ reduction or into acyl derivatives, by a Steglich esterification. The obtained alcohols are precursors of the corresponding dilithium species by reaction with n-butyllithium. Additionally, functionalized arylbutyltellurides were prepared by reacting lithium alkyltellurolates with functionalized aryl iodides in the presence of CuI (5 mol %). The influence of ligands was also explored, leading to improved yields. It was also investigated the reactivity of vinyl butyltellurides with organometallic reagents. The tellurium/metal exchange reaction with organozinc and organomanganese compounds was studied. The reactions with organozinc compounds presented unsatisfactory results, in view of the low selectivity transfer of the groups linked to zinc. The reaction with organomanganese compounds presented better results in view of the fast Te/Mn exchange reaction, selectivity in the ligand transfer and good yields of the organomanganese capture products with electrophiles. It was also studied the cross-coupling reaction between aryl Grignard reagents and vinyl butyl tellurides in the presence of manganese chloride and copper iodide (MnCl2/CuI). The reaction occuried with high stereosselectivity and in moderate to good yields. (AU)