Reaction of Acyl Chlorides with In Situ Formed Zinc Selenolates: Synthesis of Selenoesters versus Ring-Opening Reaction of Tetrahydrofuran

Attempting to apply thein situproduction of PhSeZnSePh to the synthesis of selenoesters, an unexpected reaction involving the solvent (tetrahydrofuran) was observed and studied. We reported here some evidences about the mechanism and the possibility to control the chemoselectivity of this new reaction that afforded the formation of interesting selenoderivatives in which the selenium moiety and the carboxylic one are spaced by four carbon units

highlight on the reactivity of phseznx

The first bench stable selenolates, PhSeZnHalides have been synthesized through a completely atom economy oxidative insertion of the elemental zinc on the commercially available PhSeHalides. These reagents showed the characteristic nucleophilic reactivity which will be reviewed in this report. All of the reactions were strongly accelerated when effected in water suspension. Alkyl, aryl, vinyl and acyl substitutions, ring-opening reactions of epoxides and aziridines and Michael type addition will be described including the role of the zinc in the control of the chemoselectivity and stereoselectivity

ultrasound mediated synthesis of ecofriendly zinc chalcogenates in on water conditions

Nucleophilic Selenium is a convenient strategy for the functionalization of organic substrates having electrophilic character. Among all the methods developed for their preparation, the reduction of the corresponding diselenides represents the most versatile procedure. Using these protocols selenolates were usually prepared in situ using atom expensive reducing agents such as NaBH4, LiAlH4, or metals (Na, Li) or metal hydride (NaH). We recently reported that zinc can be efficiently used to reduce Se-halogen bond affording bench stable regents such as PhSeZnCl that showed a strong rate acceleration in "on water" conditions for a number of reactions: alkyl, aryl, vinyl and acyl substitutions, ring-opening reactions of epoxides and aziridines and Michael type addition. We report now the use of Ultrasound irradiation for the oxidative insertion of zinc into Se-Se bond and the formation of the nucleophilic reagent PhSeZnSePh as a green strategy to avoid the use of useless halogen and increase the atom economy of the selenenylating species