Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News
  • Published:

The Stereochemistry of Tellurium

Nature volume 123, pages 547–548 (1929)Cite this article

Abstract

NEARLY ten years ago the late Mr. R. H. Vernon made a remarkable series of observations on the occurrence of isomerism in the alkyl derivatives of tellurium.1 The initial compound can be prepared by the direct action of metallic tellurium on methyl iodide, Te + 2CH3I-Te(CH3)2I2. Silver oxide then liberates from the iodide a weak ‘a’ base, TeMe2(OH)2, which when dehydrated undergoes a molecular rearrangement, and is converted into a rather stronger ‘/3’ base. From this ‘/3’ base a series of ‘/3’ salts can be obtained, which have the same composition as the ‘a’ salts derived from the ‘a’ base. Measurements of boiling-points of solutions in acetone, and of freezing-points of solutions in benzene and in nitrobenzene, indicated that the two chlorides had the same normal molecular weight, but that, whilst the a-dibromide and the a-di-iodide were also normal, the /3-compounds were partially polymerised thus:

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. J. Chem. Soc., 117, 86, 889; 1920: 119, 105, 687; 1921.

  2. F. L. Gilbert and T. M. Lowry, J. Chem. Soc., pp. 3179–3189; 1928

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. J. Chem. Soc., 1997–2010; 1928.

  4. J. Chem. Soc., p. 308; 1928.

  5. Gilbert and Lowry, J. Chem. Soc., 2658–2667; 1928.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. J. Chem. Soc., 321–329; 1928.

  7. Chem. and Ind., 47, 1246; Nov. 23, 1928.

  8. Gilbert and Lowry, J. Chem. Soc., 1907–2010; 1928.

  9. Werner, Zeit. anorg. Chem., 3, 310; 1893.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Magnus, Pogg. Ann., 14, 204; 1828.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Reiset, Compt. rend., 10, 870; 1840: 11, 711; Ann. Chim. Ph. [3] 11, 417; 1844.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Peyrone, Ann. Chim. Ph. [3] 12, 193; 1844: 16, 462; 1846.

  13. Jorgensen, Zeit. anorg. Chem., 24, 181; 1900.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Werner, Zeit. anorg. Chem., 3, 310; 1893.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Reihlen and Nestle, Ann., 447, 211; 1926.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Grünberg, Zeit. anorg. Chem., 157, 299; 1926.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Hantzsch, Ber., 59, 2761; 1926.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kraus and Brodkorb, Zeit. anorg. Chem., 165, 73; 1927.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Dickinson, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 44, 774; 1922.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Dickinson, J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 44, 2404; 1922.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. T. M. LOWRY
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

LOWRY, T. The Stereochemistry of Tellurium. Nature 123, 547–548 (1929). https://doi.org/10.1038/123547a0

Download citation

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/123547a0

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing