TeIV

TeIV is a shorthand designation used in inorganic chemistry for tellurium in the +4 oxidation state, written as tellurium(IV) or Te(IV). It is used to label a class of compounds in which tellurium bears an average oxidation state of +4.

In this oxidation state, tellurium forms a range of compounds including tellurium dioxide (TeO2) and halide complexes such as tellurium tetrachloride (TeCl4). In aqueous solutions Te(IV) species exist as various hydroxy- and oxyanions depending on pH, with TeO3^2− (tellurate(IV)) being a common form under neutral to basic conditions. Te(IV) compounds are typically covalent and can exhibit pronounced bond polarization due to tellurium’s electronegativity and size.

Tellurium(IV) oxide TeO2 is a widely used material in optics and electronics, serving as a nonlinear optical material and in acousto-optic devices. TeCl4 and related halides are often encountered as starting materials in the synthesis of other Te(IV) compounds; they hydrolyze in water as TeCl4 + 2 H2O → TeO2 + 4 HCl.

Preparation and handling: Te(IV) species can be prepared by oxidation of tellurium(II) compounds or by hydrolysis of Te(IV) halides. They tend to be moisture-sensitive and can undergo hydrolysis or disproportionation under certain conditions.

The term TeIV appears in chemical literature as shorthand; outside inorganic chemistry contexts, it is less common and may be ambiguous without specifying the ligand environment and oxidation state.