Role of electronic factors in the formation of anionic complexes of tellurium(IV): Crystal structure of bis(4-methylbenzoylmethyltriphenylphosphonium) hexabromotellurate(IV)

Interaction of (4-XC6H4COCH2)2TeBr2 with (4-XC6H4COCH2)Ph3PBr gives the 1:1 adduct [(4-XC6H4COCH2)Ph3P]+[(4-XC6H4COCH2)2TeBr3]− in the initial step when X=H or Me. A methoxy substituent (X=MeO) in any of the reactants, however, promotes the cleavage of Te–C bonds and bis(4-substitutedbenzoylmethyltriphenylphosphonium) hexabromotellurates(IV) are isolated. The crystal structure of [(4-MeC6H4COCH2)Ph3P]2[TeBr6]·CH2Cl2 shows close C–H⋯Br/Cl contacts among the ions and solvated molecules, and supramolecular extended arrays of ionic molecular units formed by means of solvated head-to-tail linkers are identified.