Synthesis and Glutathione Peroxidase-like activity of N-heterocyclic carbene derived cationic diselenides

Water soluble cationic diselenide derivatives of benzimidazolin-2-selenones and imidazolin-2-selenones have been synthesized. The Glutathione Peroxidase-like (GPx-like) activities of cationic diselenides have been investigated for the first time. The GPx-like activities are found to be quite low as compared to the neutral imidazole based diselenide and intramolecularly coordinated diselenides. A mechanism for GPx-like activity has been proposed. The oxidation reactions of N-heterocyclic carbene derived selenones with hydrogen peroxide have been studied.