Sodium phenylselenolate

The reductive elimination of v/c-bromochlorides and vic-dichlorides with metals such as zinc is much less stereoselective than the corresponding vic-dibromides. However, with Nal in DMF the reductions are highly stereoselective and proceed with a net syn elimination. These observations have been used to effect an alkene inversion as shown in Scheme 1 for the preparation of the sex pheromone (3) of the oriental fruit moth. 7 Treatment of v/c-dichlorides with sodium phenylselenolate also results in a syn elimination. ... 

Because of its acidity benzeneselenol gives phenylselenolate ions in fhe presence of bases such as MeLi (in EtgO) [13] and NaH (in THF) [14]. Sodium selenolate prepared by NaBH4 reduction of (PhSe)2 is believed to be a complex with triethyl borate... 

Primary Amines.—Cobalt polysulphide and ruthenium(iv) sulphide catalysts have been found to be selective for the preferential hydrogenation of aromatic nitro-groups in the presence of acetylenes/ Formamidinesulphinic acid/ phenylselenol in the presence of DABCO/ and sodium borohydride in the presence of [Cu(acac)2r also effect the aromatic nitro-to-amine conversion. 

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