Metal-free synthesis of selenoesters directly from carboxylic acids using bifunctional selenoureas under batch and continuous-flow conditions

• Mouzma Mhate^a, Chandra Sekhara Mahanta^a, Devendra K. Dhaked^b, Velyutham Ravichandiran^a and Sharada Prasanna Swain^a

• ^aDepartment of Medicinal Chemistry and Centre for Marine Therapeutics (CMT), National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Kolkata, 168, Maniktala Main Road, Kolkata 700054, India
• ^bDepartment of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Kolkata, 168, Maniktala Main Road, Kolkata 700054, India

A new metal-free method for the synthesis of selenoesters directly from carboxylic acids in a flow reactor is reported. The carboxylic acids, Michael acceptors, and bifunctional selenoureas (source of selenium and nucleophile, activator of carbonyl group) were reacted to obtain selenoesters (up to 70% yield). An evidence-backed plausible mechanism is also presented.

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