DISCOVERY, CHARACTERIZATION, AND UTILIZATION OF SELENOXIDE-SULFONIC ACID SALTS - A NEW CLASS OF SELENOXIDE-BASED OXIDANT AND STABLE SELENOXIDE EQUIVALENT

The preparation and characterisation of a novel class of salts of sele noxides with sulfonic acids are described. They are readily prepared b y simple addition of the sulfonic acid to a solution of selenoxide, an d removal of solvent. In most cases they are colourless crystalline so lids and are considerably more stable than the parent selenoxides, all owing full characterisation and X-ray crystallographic analysis. They also efficiently oxidise sulfides to sulfoxides, with no overoxidation , and clean regeneration of selenide. Their structure has been confirm ed by H-1 NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography.