N-Fluorobenzenesulfonimide-Mediated Intermolecular Carboselenenylation of Olefins with Aromatics and Diselenides

J Org Chem. 2022 Nov 4;87(21):14609-14622. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.2c01989. Epub 2022 Oct 25.

Abstract

Intermolecular carboselenenylation of easily accessible alkenes by utilizing diselenides and N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) under metal-free and mild conditions is reported. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that the oxidation of diselenide by NFSI through a single-electron-transfer process produces an active selenenyl cationic radical species that initiates the intermolecular carboselenenylation of olefins, forming key Se-C and C-C bonds. Under optimized conditions, a broad spectrum of functionally and structurally diverse selenoether derivatives with promising yields is accessed with a very high functional group tolerance.