Oxidative umpolung selenocyanation of ketones and arenes: An efficient protocol to the synthesis of selenocyanates

A practical method for the umpolung selenocyanation of aryl ketones, alkyl ketones, beta-ketoesters and electron-rich arenes has been developed, affording various selenocyanates in moderate to excellent yields. This transformation proceeds by an oxidative umpolung selenocyanation through nitrogen oxides-mediated electrophilic selenocyanation process. This method is simpler, more efficient, and less costly than precedent methods. Further transformations of the arylselenocyanate was performed to prove the synthetic utility of this methodology. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.