O-(tert-butyl) Se-phenyl selenocarbonate: A convenient, bench-stable and metal-free precursor of benzeneselenol

A study by our laboratory shows that air, light and moisture stable O-(tert-butyl) Se-phenyl selenocarbonate could be employed as a safer, practical and efficient alternative to generate “in situ” benzeneselenol or benzeneselenolate anion under different and transition metal-free conditions. This procedure seems to be of general application since the nucleophilic selenium species obtained can be trapped by electrophiles such as alkyl halides, epoxides and electron-deficient alkenes and alkynes under different reaction conditions.