A Facile Synthesis of 2- and 3-Hydroxyalkylseleno Compounds

Article abstract of DOI:10.1055/s-1988-27490

2-Hydroxyethylseleno and 3-hydroxypropylseleno compounds (selenides 6-9) have been prepared in good yields employing 2-hydroxyethyl and 3-hydroxypropyl selenocyanates (4 and 5).Several types of electrophilic substrates that reacted with the selenolate anions generated from 4 and 5 in situ in the presence of sodium borohydride included alkyl, benzylic, activated aromatic, benzoyl, and picolinyl halides.