Photodeoxygenation and (alpha)-Cleavage Reactions of Selenoxides

Upon UV-irradiation, diphenyl and dibenzyl selenoxides underwent deoxygenation and (alpha)-cleavage competitively to give selenides, and diselenides and others, respectively. A mechanism of bimolecular photodeoxygenation is proposed, since the yields of the photoproducts were dependent on the initial concentration of the selenoxides.