Diethyl selenide is an organoselenium compound with the formula . First reported in 1836, it was the first

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 ...

to be discovered. It is the

selenium Selenium is a chemical element; it has symbol (chemistry), symbol Se and atomic number 34. It has various physical appearances, including a brick-red powder, a vitreous black solid, and a grey metallic-looking form. It seldom occurs in this elem ...

analogue of

diethyl ether Diethyl ether, or simply ether, is an organic compound with the chemical formula , sometimes abbreviated as . It is a colourless, highly Volatility (chemistry), volatile, sweet-smelling ("ethereal odour"), extremely flammable liquid. It belongs ...

. It has a strong and unpleasant smell.

Occurrence

Diethyl selenide has been detected in

biofuel Biofuel is a fuel that is produced over a short time span from Biomass (energy), biomass, rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels such as oil. Biofuel can be produced from plants or from agricu ...

produced from plantain peel. It is also a minor air pollutant in some areas.

Preparation

It may be prepared by a

substitution reaction A substitution reaction (also known as single displacement reaction or single substitution reaction) is a chemical reaction during which one functional group in a chemical compound is replaced by another functional group. Substitution reactions ar ...

similar to the

Williamson ether synthesis The Williamson ether synthesis is an organic reaction, forming an ether from an organohalide and a deprotonated alcohol (alkoxide). This reaction was developed by Alexander Williamson in 1850. Typically it involves the reaction of an alkoxide ...

: reaction of a metal selenide, such as

sodium selenide Sodium selenide is an inorganic compound of sodium and selenium with the chemical formula Na2Se. Preparation This colourless solid is prepared by the reaction of selenium with a solution of sodium in liquid ammonia at −40 °C.Brauer, G. ed. ( ...

, with two

equivalent Equivalence or Equivalent may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Album-equivalent unit, a measurement unit in the music industry *Equivalence class (music) *'' Equivalent VIII'', or ''The Bricks'', a minimalist sculpture by Carl Andre *'' Equiva ...

s of ethyl iodide or similar reagent to supply the

ethyl group In organic chemistry, an ethyl group (abbr. Et) is an alkyl substituent with the formula , derived from ethane (). ''Ethyl'' is used in the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry The International Union of Pure and Applied ...

References

{{reflist Selenoethers Foul-smelling chemicals