Organometallic synthesis of manganese telluride. Isolation and characterization of [Et sub 3 P) sub 2 (CO) sub 3 MnTe] sub 2.

As part of a program studying the use of organometallic precursors to prepare solid state materials, MnTe has been synthesized from triethylphosphine telluride (Et sub 3 PTe) and dimanganesedecacarbonyl (Mn sub 2 (CO) sub 10) under mild conditions. An organometallic intermediate, [Et sub 3 P) sub 2 (CO) sub 3 MnTe] sub 2 (1), has been isolated and characterized. Its crystal and molecular structure have been determined by x-ray diffraction. The structure of 1 is orthorhombic, space group P sub (bca), a=13.329(4), b=13.380(3), c=23,644(8)angstrom ; Z=4; final R=0.034, R sub w= 0.047. The dimeric molecule has a structure analogous to a diorganoditelluride, RTeTeR, with (Et sub 3 P) sub 2 (CO) sub 3Mn- moieties replacing the R groups. It is the first known example of an organometallic molecule to have such a ditelluride bridge. 1 pyrolyses cleanly under vacuum to crystalline MnTe at ~300C. Mechanisms are suggested for the formation of 1 and its transformation to MnTe.