Tellurium trioxide
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Through Oxygen and Oxidation state
Polymorphs
There are two forms, yellow-red α-TeO3 and grey, rhombohedral, β-TeO3 which is less reactive.
α-TeO3 has a structure similar to FeF3 with octahedral TeO6 units that share all vertices.
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Preparation
α-TeO3 can be prepared by heating orthotelluric acid, Te(OH)6, at over 300 °C. The β-TeO3 form can be prepared by heating α-TeO3 in a sealed tube with O2 and H2SO4.
α-TeO3 is unreactive to water but is a powerful oxidising agent when heated. With alkalis it forms tellurates.
α-TeO3 when heated loses oxygen to form firstly Te2O5 and then TeO2.