An efficient route for the synthesis of phosphorus–selenium macro-heterocycles

Abstract

Four-membered ring [PhP(Se)(μ-Se)]₂ (Woollins' reagent, WR) reacts with disodium alkenyl-diols followed by in situ ring-closure reaction with appropriate dibromoalkanes affording a series of unusual nine- to fifteen-membered organoselenophosphorus macrocycles bearing the O–P–Se–C_n–Se–P–O or O–P–Se–C_n–O–P–Se linkage.