Selenium Dioxide (SeO₂) - A Versatile Reagent

Introduction

Selenium dioxide (SeO₂) is a very useful and versatile reagent for the synthesis of various types of organic compounds. Among several oxidizing agents described for use in organic synthesis, SeO₂ has received interest as a superior oxidizing agent, [1] as dienophile agent, [2] oxidative bond cleaving agent, [3] in the synthesis of organometallic reagents, [4] as catalyst for synthesis of urea derivatives [5] , oxidative demethylating agent, [6] an important agent in Beckman rearrangement, [7] benzylic oxidizing agent, [8] and as an allylic hydroxylating agent [9] of organic molecules. Selenium dioxide is made by burning the element of Se in air. It is a white crystalline solid at room temperature with a sublimation temperature of 315 °C. The solid forms infinite polymeric chains (syndiotactic) which are not planar, but the polymeric structure breaks down in the gas phase to the monomeric covalent form, symmetrically bent like SO₂.

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