A facile synthesis of potassium selenocarboxylates and their oxidation with XeF2 to diacyl diselenides: An X-ray structural analysis of di(4-methoxybenzoyl) diselenide

Several potassium selenocarboxylates were synthesized in moderate to good yields by the direct reaction of acyl chlorides with potassium selenide. The potassium salts were readily oxidized with XeF2 to give diacyl diselenides in quantitative yields. The structure of di(4-methoxybenzoyl) diselenide was established by X-ray diffraction analysis. Intramolecular interactions between the carbonyl oxygen and the selenium that is connected to the opposite carbonyl group were observed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10: 373–379, 1999