Preparation of the first organoselenium peroxide, t-butyl benzeneperoxyseleninate

Abstract

t-Butyl benzeneperoxyseleninate, PhSe(O)OOBu^t, has been prepared by the reaction of t-butyl hydroperoxide with PhSe(O)OSe(O)Ph or PhSe(O)OEt, and of sodium t-butyl peroxide with PhSe(O)Br. Formation of the less stable analogues p-MeC₆H₄Se(O)OOBu^t and BuSe(O)OOBu^t from t-butyl hydroperoxide and the corresponding seleninyl anhydrides has been confirmed by ¹³C n.m.r. spectroscopy.