Oxidation of organoselenium compounds. A study of chemoselectivity of phenylacetone monooxygenase

Organoselenium acetophenones oxidation using enzymatic reactions has been developed and chemoselectivity of phenylacetone monooxygenase (PAMO) with selenium-containing ketones has been explored. We discovered that this biocatalyst prefers selenium oxidation, which leads to selenoxide in excellent conversion, over Baeyer–Villiger oxidation.