Oxidative cleavage of the Te–Te bond in η2-ditellurido complexes: syntheses and structures of M(PMe3)4(η2-Te2)H2(M = Mo, W)

The η2-ditellurido derivatives, M(PMe3)4(η2-Te2)H2(M = Mo, W) are synthesized by the reactions of M(PMe3)5H2 with elemental tellurium; the conversion of M(PMe3)4(η2-Te2)H2 to the terminal tellurido complexes M(PMe3MTe)2provides an unprecedented example of a transformation that involves oxidative cleavage of a ditellurido ligand at a single metal centre.