Synthesis of Organoselenium Compounds with Elemental Selenium

Abstract

In the recent decade, growing efforts have been devoted to employing elemental selenium as a selenium source in organic synthesis. In contrast to unstable, smelly, and toxic previous selenium reagents, elemental selenium is readily available, cheap, bench‐stable, and easy to handle. This review will mainly focus on the strategies for the activation of elemental selenium and the synthesis of organoselenium compounds including monoselenides, diselenides, selenium‐containing heterocycles and so on.