IChO 1996 · Theory problem 1

Tellurium chloroaluminates from the Te - TeCl4/AlCl3 system

The stereoregular polymerization of unsaturated hydrocarbons is usually considered as one of the most important for the industrial organic chemistry. The salts of big nonlinear cations carrying a sufficiently high charge to attack the electron density distributed along the \(\pi\)-bonds of the olefin molecules are usually used as the catalysts in these processes. Chloroaluminate anions (like \(\ce{AlCl4-}\)) possessing a highly delocalized negative charge are used usually as the anions. The necessity to develop new catalysts of this kind urged the chemists to study the interaction in the system A - B, where A = \(\ce{Te(cryst.)}\) and B = (\(\ce{TeCl4 + 4AlCl3}\)). The second component B was considered as an analog of Te(IV) chloroaluminate \(\ce{Te[AlCl4]4}\) which, however, cannot be isolated as an individual compound. It was found out that the interaction of the components A and B can lead to the formation of three new compounds (I, II and III) in the systems containing initially 77.8, 87.5 and 91.7 mol. % of the component A, respectively. It was also noticed that while in the case of compounds II and III no side products were formed, the formation of I was accompanied by the evolution of 1 mole of volatile \(\ce{TeCl4}\) per two moles of I.

The compounds I and II attracted a particular interest of investigators. They both have pinkish-purple color and both dissociate into three ions as the conductivity studies in melted \(\ce{NaAlCl4}\) showed. The cryoscopic measurements in \(\ce{NaAlCl4}\) melt enabled to determine the molecular weights of these compounds being equal to \(1126 \pm 43\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\) and \(867 \pm 48\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\) for I and II, respectively. In the IR spectra of both compounds there is only one band observed which can be attributed to a vibration mode of a bond formed by Te atom. This band lies at \(133\ \mathrm{cm^{-1}}\) and is therefore so low in energy that this bond undoubtedly is a kind of Te – Te interaction. The \(\ce{^{27}Al}\) NMR data for the complexes I and II show that in each compound there is only one type of tetrahedrally coordinated aluminum. However, the observed chemical shifts of aluminium for the compounds I and II are different, thus manifesting that Al atoms are different in them.

1.1 Determine Te : Al : Cl minimal atomic ratio for the complexes I, II and III.

1.2 Write the molecular-formulae of the compounds I and II.

1.3 Write the formulae of the anions and cations in compounds I and II.

1.4 Draw stereochemical formulae of cations and anions in the structures of I and II assuming that the cations in I and II are examples of inorganic aromatic systems.

1.5 Which compound has a higher thermal stability, I or II, taking into account that \(\ce{AlCl3}\) is extremely volatile compound.

1.6 If one of the compounds I or II can be transformed into the other by heating, write the corresponding reaction equation.

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 1.1 The minimal \(\ce{Te}:\ce{Al}:\ce{Cl}\) ratios are I: \(2:2:7\); II: \(2:1:4\); III: \(3:1:4\).
  • 1.2 I: \(\ce{Te4Al4Cl14}\), equivalently \(\ce{Te4(Al2Cl7)2}\). II: \(\ce{Te4Al2Cl8}\), equivalently \(\ce{Te4(AlCl4)2}\).
  • 1.3 Both contain the cyclotetratellurium dication, \(\ce{Te4^2+}\), SMILES [Te+]1=[Te+][Te][Te]1. The anions are:
  • I: heptachlorodialuminate(1−), \(\ce{Al2Cl7-}\), SMILES Cl[Al-](Cl)(Cl)[Cl+][Al-](Cl)(Cl)Cl.
  • II: tetrachloroaluminate(1−), \(\ce{AlCl4-}\), SMILES [Al-](Cl)(Cl)(Cl)Cl.
  • 1.4 The common cation is a square planar, six-\(\pi\)-electron aromatic ring. The anion of II is tetrahedral; the anion of I consists of two tetrahedra sharing one chloride vertex.
  • 1.5 II has the higher thermal stability under the stated volatility criterion.
  • 1.6 \[ \boxed{\ce{Te4(Al2Cl7)2 ->[\Delta] Te4(AlCl4)2 + 2AlCl3(g)}} \]

The SMILES represent connectivity and localized formal charges. The actual cation has delocalized bonding; its geometry and the anion coordination geometries are described in 1.4 below.

Solution

1.1 — Minimal atomic ratios

The component ratios follow from \[ n_A:n_B=x_A:(1-x_A). \] Allowing for the reported rounding, \[ \begin{aligned} \mathbf I &: 77.8:22.2 \simeq 7:2,\\ \mathbf {II} &: 87.5:12.5 = 7:1,\\ \mathbf {III} &: 91.7:8.3 \simeq 11:1. \end{aligned} \]

One mole of component B, \(\ce{TeCl4 + 4AlCl3}\), supplies \(1\) mol Te atoms, \(4\) mol Al atoms and \(16\) mol Cl atoms.

The molecular reagents are tellurium tetrachloride, \(\ce{TeCl4}\), SMILES Cl[Te](Cl)(Cl)Cl, and aluminium trichloride, \(\ce{AlCl3}\), monomer SMILES Cl[Al](Cl)Cl.

For I, the volatile by-product must be included. Let its formula contain \(t\) Te atoms, \(a\) Al atoms and \(c\) Cl atoms. Per mole of I:

  • The aluminium balance requires \(a/4\) mol B.
  • The feed ratio requires \(7a/8\) mol A.
  • The stated by-product is \(1/2\) mol \(\ce{TeCl4}\).

Consequently, \[ t=\frac{7a}{8}+\frac a4-\frac12=\frac{9a-4}{8}, \qquad c=16\frac a4-4\frac12=4a-2. \]

Integral atom counts require \(a=4,12,20,\ldots\). The smallest possibility is \[ (t,a,c)=(4,4,14), \] whose molar mass agrees with experiment, as checked in 1.2. The next possibility, \(\ce{Te13Al12Cl46}\), would have a molar mass exceeding \(3600\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}\), so it is excluded.

The corresponding balanced formation equation is \[ \ce{7Te + 2TeCl4 + 8AlCl3 -> 2Te4Al4Cl14 + TeCl4(g)}. \] It reproduces both the \(7:2\) component ratio and the evolution of one mole of \(\ce{TeCl4}\) per two moles of I. Thus \[ \boxed{\mathbf I:\quad \ce{Te}:\ce{Al}:\ce{Cl}=2:2:7.} \]

For II and III, all feed atoms enter the products:

Compound Feed Te atoms Al atoms Cl atoms Minimal ratio
II \(7A+B\) \(7+1=8\) \(4\) \(16\) \(2:1:4\)
III \(11A+B\) \(11+1=12\) \(4\) \(16\) \(3:1:4\)

Therefore, \[ \boxed{\mathbf {II}:2:1:4,\qquad \mathbf {III}:3:1:4.} \]

1.2 — Molecular formulae

Using standard atomic molar masses \[ M_{\ce{Te}}=127.60,\quad M_{\ce{Al}}=26.98,\quad M_{\ce{Cl}}=35.45\qquad (\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}), \] the empirical-formula masses are \[ \begin{aligned} M_{\mathrm{emp},I} &=2(127.60)+2(26.98)+7(35.45)\\ &=557.31\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}},\\[2mm] M_{\mathrm{emp},II} &=2(127.60)+26.98+4(35.45)\\ &=423.98\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \end{aligned} \]

The measured-to-empirical mass ratios are \[ \frac{1126\pm43}{557.31}=2.02\pm0.08, \qquad \frac{867\pm48}{423.98}=2.04\pm0.11. \] Both select an integer multiplier of \(2\). Hence \[ \boxed{\mathbf I=\ce{Te4Al4Cl14},\qquad \mathbf {II}=\ce{Te4Al2Cl8}.} \]

Their calculated molar masses are \[ M_I=1114.62\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}, \qquad M_{II}=847.96\ \mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}, \] both within the respective experimental intervals.

1.3 — Identification of the ions

With aluminium in oxidation state \(+3\) and chlorine in oxidation state \(-1\), the total charge required on the tellurium unit is \[ \begin{aligned} \mathbf I &: 14-4(3)=+2,\\ \mathbf {II} &: 8-2(3)=+2. \end{aligned} \] The low-frequency IR band supports a bonded tellurium cluster. Both compounds therefore contain the \(\ce{Te4^2+}\) cation identified above.

Each formula unit produces three ions. One \(\ce{Te4^2+}\) cation must therefore accompany two singly charged chloroaluminate anions: \[ \begin{aligned} \ce{Te4(Al2Cl7)2 &-> Te4^2+ + 2Al2Cl7-},\\ \ce{Te4(AlCl4)2 &-> Te4^2+ + 2AlCl4-}. \end{aligned} \]

The anion charges also follow directly: \[ 2(+3)+7(-1)=-1,\qquad (+3)+4(-1)=-1. \]

Thus the complete salts, with disconnected ionic SMILES, are:

  • I — tetratellurium(2+) bis(heptachlorodialuminate), \(\ce{Te4(Al2Cl7)2}\):
    [Te+]1=[Te+][Te][Te]1.Cl[Al-](Cl)(Cl)[Cl+][Al-](Cl)(Cl)Cl.Cl[Al-](Cl)(Cl)[Cl+][Al-](Cl)(Cl)Cl
  • II — tetratellurium(2+) bis(tetrachloroaluminate), \(\ce{Te4(AlCl4)2}\):
    [Te+]1=[Te+][Te][Te]1.[Al-](Cl)(Cl)(Cl)Cl.[Al-](Cl)(Cl)(Cl)Cl

1.4 — Stereochemical structures and aromaticity

For the common cyclotetratellurium dication, draw four Te atoms at the corners of a square, connect successive corners, and place a circle inside the ring to indicate delocalization. Enclose the ring in brackets with an overall \(2+\) charge. The four atoms are coplanar, and the four ring bonds are equivalent.

The valence-electron count is \[ 4(6)-2=22. \] Four ring \(\sigma\) bonds account for \(8\) electrons, and one lone pair in the ring plane on each Te accounts for another \(8\). The remaining \[ 22-8-8=6 \] electrons occupy the conjugated system of four perpendicular \(p\) orbitals. This satisfies Hückel’s aromaticity condition: \[ 6=4n+2,\qquad n=1. \] The high symmetry is consistent with the single observed Te–Te stretching band. The localized double bond in the SMILES represents one resonance contributor.

For II, draw the tetrachloroaluminate anion, \(\ce{AlCl4-}\), as a tetrahedron: Al at its center and four Cl atoms at its vertices. A wedge-and-dash drawing has two bonds in the page, one solid wedge and one dashed wedge. Enclose it in brackets with charge \(-1\).

For I, draw the heptachlorodialuminate anion, \(\ce{Al2Cl7-}\), as two tetrahedra sharing one vertex:

  • A single chloride bridges the two Al atoms.
  • Each Al also has three terminal chlorides.
  • Each Al therefore has four chloride neighbours in tetrahedral coordination.

This gives \(3+1+3=7\) chlorides in total. The two Al centers are equivalent, explaining the single aluminium environment in I. Their environment contains a bridging chloride, whereas II has four terminal chlorides around Al; this accounts for the different \(\ce{^{27}Al}\) chemical shifts.

1.5 — Relative thermal stability

The heptachlorodialuminate anion can release volatile aluminium trichloride: \[ \ce{Al2Cl7- -> AlCl4- + AlCl3(g)}. \]

Relative to II, I contains two additional \(\ce{AlCl3}\) units per tellurium cation. Heating allows these units to escape, leaving II. Therefore, under the stated volatility criterion, \[ \boxed{\text{II has the higher thermal stability.}} \]

1.6 — Thermal conversion

Applying the anion conversion twice per formula unit gives \[ \boxed{\ce{Te4(Al2Cl7)2 ->[\Delta] Te4(AlCl4)2 + 2AlCl3(g)}}. \]

The equation conserves four Te atoms, four Al atoms and fourteen Cl atoms. Thus I transforms into II upon loss of aluminium trichloride.

The solution was checked against the official solution.