Oxidation of 1,2-Bis(phenylseleno)-1-alkenes. A Novel Example of Selenoxide anti-Elimination.

The oxidation of 1,2-bis(phenylseleno)-1-alkenes and the reactivity of thus formed selenoxides have been investigated. When (Z)-1,2-bis(phenylseleno)-1-octene was oxidized with two equivalents of MCPBA, a novel selenoxide anti-elimination has been found to take place at or below room temperature.