Novel methods for the preparation of organotellurium heterocycles derived from
bis(2-aminophenyl) ditelluride were developed. Thus, highly
nucleophilic 2-aminobenzenetellurol generated by reduction in situ reacted smoothly with malonitrile to
2-cyanomethylbenzo-1,3-tellurazole, while its treatment with
carbon disulfide and subsequent
methylation generated
2-methylmercaptobenzo-1,3-tellurazole.
Amidation to (2-haloacetamidophenyl) ditellurides, followed by reduction under carefully controlled conditions, furnished previously inaccessible 2
H-1,4-benzotellurazin-3(4
H)-ones in yields ranging from 47-62%.