Adducts of Sterically Hindered Tellurium Catecholate with N-Methylpyrrolidone

Abstract

The formation of adducts of tellurium(IV) 3,6-di-tert-butyl catecholate (Te(Cat³⁶)₂) with N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) is studied. The crystallization from a CH₂Cl₂–NMP–aromatic hydrocarbon mixture is found to result in the formation of dimeric complexes [{Te(Cat³⁶)₂}₂(μ-NMP)(μ-arene)] (arene is C₆H₆, C₇H₈), whereas mononuclear [Te(Cat³⁶)₂(NMP)₂] is formed from a CH₂Cl₂–NMP–alkane mixture. The formation of the adducts with aromatic hydrocarbons indicates a possibility of using the tellurium complexes for the separation of hydrocarbon mixtures, including an industrially important benzene–cyclohexane mixture.