2-Selenoimidazoline / 2-Selenoimidazolines

Abstract

The 2-selenoimidazolines 5 are obtained from the reaction of the imidazol-2-ylidenes 4 with selenium in very good yields. The ylidic nature of the carbon selenium bond (2) is revealed both by NMR and by X-ray analysis. On comparison with the corresponding tellurium compounds 3, reduction of the carbon chalcogen bond order in 5 is suggested.