Selenium-containing compounds are important scaffolds owing to their value in medicinal chemistry, biochemistry and material chemistry. Herein, we report an electrochemical approach to access seleno-benzazepines through an oxidative radical cascade cyclization of dienes with diselenides under metal-free, external oxidant-free and base-free conditions. In a simple undivided cell, various dienes and diselenides were suitable for this transformation, generating the desired products in up to 84% yields. This method provides a green and convenient route for the synthesis of valuable selenium-containing seven-membered N-heterocycles from simple starting materials.
This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.