Silver-catalyzed direct selenylation of terminal alkynes through C-H bond functionalization

We described herein the use of a silver catalyst in the selenylation of terminal alkynes by direct C-H functionalization. These reactions were performed under mild conditions, reacting a range of terminal alkynes with different diorganyl diselenides using AgNO3 (10 mol-%) as catalyst in CH2Cl2 at 25 degrees C under air atmosphere. This is an efficient and general cross-coupling reaction and was performed with alkynes and diorganyl diselenides bearing electron-withdrawing and electron-donating groups affording the corresponding selanylalkynes in good to excellent yields. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.