Synthesis 2004(6): 875-884  
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-822312
PAPER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Synthesis of 1,3-Selenazoles and Bis(selenazoles) from Primary Selenocarboxylic Amides and Selenourea

Karlheinz Geisler*, Wolf-Diethard Pfeiffer, Andreas Künzler, Harald Below, Ehrenfried Bulka, Peter Langer*
Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, Soldmannstr. 16, 17487 Greifswald, Germany
Fax: +49(3834)864346; e-Mail: peter.langer@uni-greifswald.de;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 13 October 2003
Publication Date:
15 March 2004 (online)

Abstract

The reaction of nitriles with P2Se5 in the presence of EtOH-H2O afforded primary selenocarboxylic amides. The cyclization of these compounds with α-halo ketones afforded a variety of functionalized 1,3-selenazoles. The use of P2Se5 also allowed the convenient synthesis of selenocarboxylic diamides which were transformed into bis(selenazol-2-yl)alkanes (‘bis-selenazoles’). A practical method for the synthesis of selenourea was developed. This useful small building block was successfully applied to the synthesis of primary 2-amino-1,3-selenazoles.