Dimethyl selenide is the

organoselenium compound Organoselenium chemistry is the science exploring the properties and reactivity of organoselenium compounds, chemical compounds containing carbon-to-selenium chemical bonds. Selenium belongs with oxygen and sulfur to the group 16 elements or chalco ...

with the formula (CH₃)₂Se. This colorless, malodorous liquid is the simplest selenoether. It occurs in trace amounts in anaerobic environments and in the atmosphere due to biomethylation of selenium. Dimethyl selenide is prepared by treating Se²⁻ sources with electrophilic methylating agents such as

methyl iodide Iodomethane, also called methyl iodide, and commonly abbreviated "MeI", is the chemical compound with the formula CH3I. It is a dense, colorless, volatile liquid. In terms of chemical structure, it is related to methane by replacement of one h ...

: :Na₂Se + 2 CH₃I → (CH₃)₂Se + 2 NaI The carbon–selenium

bond length In molecular geometry, bond length or bond distance is defined as the average distance between Atomic nucleus, nuclei of two chemical bond, bonded atoms in a molecule. It is a Transferability (chemistry), transferable property of a bond between at ...

is 1.943 Å and the C–Se–C

bond angle Molecular geometry is the three-dimensional arrangement of the atoms that constitute a molecule. It includes the general shape of the molecule as well as bond lengths, bond angles, torsional angles and any other geometrical parameters that deter ...

is 96.2°, as determined by rotational microwave spectroscopy. Similar dimensions of 1.98 Å and 98° are found by

gas electron diffraction Gas electron diffraction (GED) is one of the applications of electron diffraction techniques. The target of this method is the determination of the structure of gaseous molecules, i.e., the geometrical arrangement of the atoms from which a molec ...

References

{{Selenium compounds Selenium(−II) compounds Selenoethers Foul-smelling chemicals Methyl compounds