2-Benzamide Tellurenyl Iodides: Synthesis and Their Catalytic Role in CO₂ Mitigation

Benzamide-derived organochalcogens (chalcogen=S, Se, and Te) have shown promising interest in biological and synthetic chemistry. Ebselen molecule derived from benzamide moiety is the most studied organoselenium. However, its heavier congener organotellurium is under-explored. Here, an efficient copper-catalyzed atom economical synthetic method has been developed to synthesize 2-phenyl-benzamide tellurenyl iodides by inserting a tellurium atom into carbon-iodine bond of 2-iodobenzamides in one pot with 78-95 % yields. Further, the Lewis acidic nature of Te center and Lewis basic nature of nitrogen of the synthesized 2-Iodo-N-(quinolin-8-yl)benzamide tellurenyl iodides enabled them as pre-catalyst for the activation of epoxide with CO₂ at 1 atm for the preparation of cyclic carbonates with TOF and TON values of 1447 h^-1 and 4343, respectively, under solvent-free conditions. In addition, 2-iodo-N-(quinolin-8-yl)benzamide tellurenyl iodides have also been used as pre-catalyst for activating anilines and CO₂ to form a variety of 1,3-diaryl ureas up to 95 % yield. The mechanistic investigation for CO₂ mitigation is done by ¹²⁵ Te NMR and HRMS studies. It seems that the reaction proceeds via formation of catalytically active Te-N heterocycle, an ebtellur intermediate which is isolated and structurally characterized.