Tellurium Precursor for Nanocrystal Synthesis: Tris(dimethylamino)phosphine Telluride

Preparations of CdTe quantum platelets, magic-size (CdTe)13 nanoclusters, and CdTe quantum wires are described using (Me2N)3PTe (with (Me2N)3P) as a Te precursor. The (Me2N)3PTe/(Me2N)3P precursor mixture is shown to be more reactive than mixtures of trialkylphosphine tellurides and the corresponding trialkylphosphines, R3PTe/R3P, which are commonly employed in nanocrystal syntheses. For syntheses conducted in primary amine solvents, (Me2N)3PTe and (Me2N)3P undergo a transamination reaction, affording (Me2N)x(RHN)3–xPTe and (Me2N)x(RHN)3–xP (R = n-octyl or oleyl). The transaminated (Me2N)x(RHN)3–xPTe derivatives are shown to be the likely Te precursors under those conditions. The enhanced reactivities of the tris(amino)phosphine tellurides are ascribed to increased nucleophilicity due to the amino-N lone pairs.