Tellurolate: an effective Te-atom transfer reagent to prepare the triad of group 5 metal bis(tellurides).

We show in this work how lithium tellurolate Li(X)TeCHSiMe (X = THF, = 1, 1; X = 12--4, = 2, 2), can serve as an effective Te-atom transfer reagent to all group 5 transition metal halide precursors irrespective of the oxidation state. Mononuclear and bis(telluride) complexes, namely (PNP)M(Te) (M = V; Nb, 3; Ta, 4; PNP = N[2-PPr-4-methylphenyl]), are reported herein including structural and spectroscopic data. Whereas the known complex (PNP)V(Te) can be readily prepared from the trivalent precursor (PNP)VCl, two equiv.