Benzoimidazolyl Organoseleniums: Antioxidant Activity and Catalysts for Selective Iodination of Arenes and Nitro-Michael Reaction.

Here, the synthesis and catalytic activities of benzoimidazole-derived organoselenium compounds have been explored. The synthesized bis(2-benzoimidazolyl) diselenide, having increased Lewis acidity on the selenium center, outperforms simple phenyl and N -phenyl benzamide-based diselenides when compared for thiol peroxidase hydrogen peroxide decomposing antioxidant activity with a reduction rate of 18.6 ± 1.9 μM/s. The synthesized diselenide also acted as an efficient catalyst for the activation of N -iodo-succinimide toward the regioselective, monoiodination of electron-rich arenes and activation of nitro-alkene for nitro-Michael reactions for the first time.