Photoinduced reduction of group 16 heteroatom compounds with the aid of samarium diiodide

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(98)01347-1

A novel photoinduced reduction of group 16 heteroatom compounds such as organic selenides, tosylates, and tellurides has been developed. In particular, organic selenides, which can not be reduced with SmI₂ in the dark (or even in the presence of HMPA), undergo reductive cleavage efficiently by using the SmI₂-hv system.