The stepwise oxidation of 2-selenoimidazolines (1) under bar(TmSe; -di
hydro-1,3,4,5-tetraalkyl-2H-imidazol-2-ylidene) leads to a series of c
arbene stabilised selenium iodine compounds whose composition depend f
rom the stoichiometry and the substituents at the nitrogen atoms. No d
iselenides or selenium(IV) compounds have been detected. The X-ray str
uctures of the compounds [ImSeSeIm](2+) (3c), (ImSeI(2))(2)I-2 (5c) an
d (ImSeI)I-3 (6b) are reported.