The Exceptional Glutathione Peroxidase‐Like Activity of Di(3‐hydroxypropyl) Selenide and the Unexpected Role of a Novel Spirodioxaselenanonane Intermediate in the Catalytic Cycle

Abstract

A new mechanism for reducing oxidative stress: Di(3-hydroxypropyl) selenide has exceptionally high glutathione peroxidase-like catalytic activity in the reduction of tert-butyl hydroperoxide with benzyl thiol. The catalytic cycle proceeds via a novel spirodioxaselenanonane, which was isolated and characterized spectroscopically, as well as by X-ray crystallography.