Organoselenium Compounds as the Oxidants and Oxidation Catalysts

Useful oxidative conversions of halomethylarenes and aromatic alcohols into aldehydes, oxidation of aldehydes, ketones and their azomethine derivatives into carboxy esters, phenols, nitriles and carboxylic acids, epoxidation of low reactive vinylbenzenes, ketone regeneration from ketazines, and selective oxidation of sulfides have been elaborated. Selenium compounds such as selenium(IV) dioxide, selenoxides, seleninic and peroxyseleninic acids, diselenides, benzisoselenazolones and their analogs used as oxidants or as catalyst for hydrogen peroxide oxidation are presented and their synthesis is briefly discussed.