Tellurocysteine

Tellurocysteine
Names
IUPAC name
(2R)-2-Amino-3-tellanylpropanoic acid
Other names
Tellurocystine
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
  • InChI=1S/C3H7NO2Te/c4-2(1-7)3(5)6/h2,7H,1,4H2,(H,5,6)
    Key: PRMLZSRTFWAUAH-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • C([C@@H](C(=O)O)N)[Te]
Properties
C3H7NO2Te
Molar mass 216.69 g·mol−1
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Tellurocysteine (in some publications referred to as Te-Cys) is an amino acid with the formula HTeCH2CH(NH2)CO2H. It is the heavy analogue of serine, cysteine, and selenocysteine. Tellurol (RTeH) is a rare and fragile functional group, especially alkyl derivatives. The C-Te bond (200 kJ/mol) is weak compared to 234 kJ/mol for the C-Se bond.[1] These factors combine to make tellurocysteine very labile. Even selenocysteine occurs only rarely in nature.[2] Instead of tellurocysteine, tellurocystine is generally isolated instead. Tellurocystine has the formula (TeCH2CH(NH2)CO2H)2, with a central Te-Te bond.[3]

  1. ^ Chivers, Tristram; Laitinen, Risto S. (23 March 2015). "Tellurium: a maverick among the chalcogens". Chemical Society Reviews. 44 (7): 1725–1739. doi:10.1039/C4CS00434E. ISSN 1460-4744. PMID 25692398.
  2. ^ Advances in Microbial Physiology. Academic Press. 2007. p. 4. ISBN 9780080560649.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stocking was invoked but never defined (see the help page).