1. Preparation of 2,3-dihydroselenolo[2,3-b]pyridines and related compounds by free-radical means
Tahli Fenner, Jonathan M White, Carl H Schiesser Org Biomol Chem. 2006 Feb 7;4(3):466-74. doi: 10.1039/b515385a. Epub 2005 Dec 21.
Photolysis of the thiohydroximate ester derivative 21 of 2-carboethoxy-2-(2-(benzylseleno)pyridin-3-yl)tridecylcarboxylic acid (20) affords 2-dodecyl-2-carboethoxy-2,3-dihydroselenolo[2,3-b]pyridine (22) in 89% yield in a process presumably involving intramolecular homolytic substitution by a tertiary alkyl radical at selenium with loss of a benzyl radical. Alternatively, rearrangement of O-(omega-haloalkyl)esters 34 of 2-carboethoxy-N-hydroxypyridine-2-selone affords azonianaphthalenium halides 37 in 79% yield.
2. Toward pyridine-fused selenium-containing antioxidants
Tahli Fenner, Carl H Schiesser Molecules. 2004 May 31;9(6):472-9. doi: 10.3390/90600472.
Photolysis of the thiohydroximate ester derivative 21 of 2-carboethoxy-2-(2- (benzylseleno)pyridin-3-yl)tridecylcarboxylic acid (20) affords 2-dodecyl-2- carboethoxy-2,3-dihydroselenolo[2,3-b]pyridine (22) in 89% yield in a process presumably involving intramolecular homolytic substitution by a tertiary alkyl radical at selenium with loss of a benzyl radical. Work toward extending this methodology to the preparation of pyridine-fused selenium analogues of antioxidants is described.
3. Intramolecular Homolytic Substitution with Amidyl Radicals: A Free-Radical Synthesis of Ebselen and Related Analogues
Mei C. Fong, Carl H. Schiesser J Org Chem. 1997 May 16;62(10):3103-3108. doi: 10.1021/jo970019t.
Irradiation of a water-cooled benzene solution of pyridine-2-thioneoxycarbonyl (PTOC) imidate esters 9 derived from N-butyl-2-(benzylseleno)benzamide (6, R = Bu), 2-(benzylseleno)-N-hexylbenzamide (6, R = Hex), N-benzyl-2-(benzylseleno)benzamide (6, R = Bn), and 2-(benzylseleno)-N-cyclohexylbenzamide (6, R = c-Hex) with a 250-W low-pressure mercury lamp affords the corresponding 1,2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-ones (1) in yields of 81-91% (R = primary alkyl) and 45% (R = c-Hex). Presumably, these transformations involve formation of amidyl radicals 2 which undergo subsequent intramolecular homolytic substitution at the selenium atom with expulsion of a benzyl radical. PTOC imidate esters derived from 2-(benzylseleno)benzanilide (6, R = Ph) and 2-(benzylseleno)-N-tert-butylbenzamide (6, R = t-Bu) were unable to be prepared in this manner. 1,2-Benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-ones (1, R = Ph, Hex, i-Pr, t-Bu) could also be prepared in 76-85% yield by reaction of the corresponding 2,2'-diselenobis(benzamide) (15) with benzoyl or tert-butyl peroxide. The mechanisms of these transformations are discussed.
