Visible-Light-Induced decarboxylative selenation of N-Hydroxyphthalimide esters with diselenides to unsymmetrical monoselenides

A photoinduced decarboxylative C-Se bond-forming reaction employing alkyl N-hydroxyphthalimide esters as alkylation reagents and acid red 94 as an inexpensive photocatalyst has been documented. A broad range of alkyl N-hydroxyphthalimide esters were tolerated for this decarboxylation process, providing a series of unsymmetrical monoselenides with good to excellent yields. The mild conditions and the excellent functional group tolerance allowed late-stage modification of pharmaceutical molecules and natural products.