Highly efficient synthesis of diselenides and ditellurides catalyzed by polyoxomolybdate-based copper

Abstract

A new protocol for the polyoxomolybdate-based copper-catalyzed synthesis of diselenides and ditellurides from organic iodides and elemental selenium or tellurium with moderate to excellent yields (up to 96%) is developed. The virtue of this transformation is low catalyst loading (0.5 mol%). In addition, gram-scale experiments and the reaction mechanism are studied.