Electrochemical Mn-Promoted Radical Selenylation of Boronic Acids with Diselenide Reagents

Abstract

A powerful and environmentally friendly electrochemical manganese-promoted free radical selenylation reaction between boronic acids and diselenide reagents was established. This electrochemical protocol provides a practically applicable way to a series of valuable organoselenium compounds with the use of easy available materials. Mechanistic experiments implied that the seleno-radical formed via direct or indirect electrochemical oxidation of diselenide may be involved as a key species in this transformation.