A NOVEL SYNTHESIS OF SELENOPHENES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)80307-X

Reduction of α,α'-diketo selenides with a low-valent titanium reagent usually affords 3,4-dihydroxyselenolanes, from wich the corresponding selenophenes are obtained by acid-catalyzed dehydration.A surprising exception is the formation of 2,4-dihydroy-2,4-di-t-butylselenolane from bis(2-t-butyl-2-oxoethyl) selenide, the former being converted to 2,4-di-t-butylselenophene by acid treatment.