An indium–TMSCl promoted reaction of diphenyl diselenide and diorganyl disulfides with aldehydes: novel routes to selenoacetals, thioacetals and alkyl phenyl selenides

The reactions of diphenyl diselenide and dialkyl disulfides with aldehydes in the presence of In–TMSCl have been investigated. Aliphatic aldehydes provide the corresponding selenoacetals and aromatic aldehydes lead predominantly to benzyl phenyl selenides on reaction with diphenyl diselenide. However, the reaction of dimethyl disulfide and diphenyl disulfide with both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes produce dithioacetals. This provides a novel route to the synthesis of selenoacetals, thioacetals and selenides from aldehydes.