Hydroselenation of Simple Olefins: Elucidating the β-Selenium Radical Effect

18 March 2024, Version 1
This content is a preprint and has not undergone peer review at the time of posting.

Abstract

We report a light-promoted hydroselenation of alkenes with high anti-Markovnikov selectivity. Spectroscopic, kinetic, and computational mechanistic studies indicate that blue light activates an aryl diselenide to generate a seleno radical; this radical adds into an alkene to form a β-seleno carbon radical. Subsequent hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) generates the linear selenide with high selectivity in preference to the branched isomer. These studies reveal a unique β-selenium effect, where a selenide β to a carbon radical imparts high anti-selectivity for radical addition through delocalization of the HAT transition state.

Keywords

Selenides
Hydroselenation
Alkenes
Selenols
β-Seleno Effect
Diastereoselectivity

Supplementary materials

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Title
Supplementary Information for: Hydroselenation of Simple Olefins: Elucidating the β-Selenide Radical Effect
Description
Includes general procedures and characterization data for synthesis of starting materials, anti-Markovnikov hydroselenation, sensitivity assessment, mechanistic studies, and computational studies.
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