Synlett 2015; 26(15): 2139-2144
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1381185
letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

A Convenient Catalytic Procedure for Direct Synthesis of Aryl­selanyl Anilines

Chen Yu
a   College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, P. R. of China   Email: jieyan87@zjut.edu.cn
,
Hongwei Shi
a   College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, P. R. of China   Email: jieyan87@zjut.edu.cn
,
Min Zhu
b   College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou 310015, P. R. of China
,
Jie Yan*
a   College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, P. R. of China   Email: jieyan87@zjut.edu.cn
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 02 May 2015

Accepted after revision: 10 June 2015

Publication Date:
23 July 2015 (online)


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Abstract

In the presence of a catalytic amount of KI combined with oxidant H2O2, a convenient catalytic procedure has been developed for the direct preparation of arylselanyl anilines from N,N-disubstituted anilines and diselenides. In this protocol, KI is first oxidized by H2O2 into hypoiodous acid, which promotes the cleavage of Se–Se bond in diselenide. The in situ generated active electrophilic selenium species then reacts with N,N-disubstituted aniline, affording 4-arylselanyl aniline with high regioselectivity and good yield via an electrophilic substitution. This metal-free catalytic method is convenient in neutral condition at room temperature and in short time, not only arylselanyl anilines, but also alkaylselanyl anilines have been prepared, which extends the catalytic application of KI in organic synthesis.