Mass spectrometric study of some organotellurium(IV) compounds

A series of tetracoordinated organotellurium(IV) compounds with potential immunomodulating properties were studied mass spectrometrically using high-resolution positive ion desorption chemical ionization and constant B/E and B²/E linked-scanning techniques. The nature of the organic ligand bonded to the Te(IV) has a major influence on the mass spectral behavior of these compounds. When only monodentate ligands -OR are bonded to the Te(IV), no molecular or protonated molecular ion appears in the spectrum, although polynuclear species are present. When the compounds contain bis-bidentate ligands of the type -ORO-, the protonated molecular ion becomes the base peak and the polynuclear species are not present.