Selone

In chemistry, a selone (also known as a selenoketone) is the structural analog of a ketone where selenium replaces oxygen. Selenium-77 is one of the isotopes of selenium that is stable and naturally occurring, so selenoketone-containing chemicals can be analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Selones can be used as chiral derivatizing agents for ⁷⁷Se-NMR.^[1] Chiral oxazolidineselones can be used for stereoselective control of aldol reactions, analogous to the Evans aldol reaction that uses oxazolidinones, which allows ⁷⁷Se-NMR to be used to determine the diastereomeric ratio of the aldol product.^[2]

General chemical structure of a selone

Selenobenzophenone reversibly dimerizes. It is known to undergo cycloaddition with 1,3-dienes in a reaction similar to the Diels-Alder reaction.^[3]

See also

• Thioketone
• Telluroketone

Further reading

• Definition of Selones in the IUPAC Gold Book