Improved Synthesis of Aromatic Diselenides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00157a012

The reaction of aromatic and heterocyclic lithio derivatives with elemental selenium, followed by dimethylthiocarbamyl chloride, gives highly crystalline and readily purified Se-aryl N,N-dimethylselenothiocarbamates.Alkaline hydrolysis of the latter, followed by ferricyanide oxidation, affords diselenides.Overall yields and purity of the diselenides are superior to those obtained by the standard direct selenation-oxidation method.