Transition-metal free synthesis of diaryl vinyl selenides: a simple synthetic approach with high selectivity

A simple, highly efficient synthetic protocol is developed for the synthesis of unsymmetrical diaryl vinyl selenides from diaryldiselenide and β-bromo styrene under transition-metal free conditions in N,N′-dimethyl propylene urea and 130 °C to afford high yields and excellent selectivities. This method provides a new strategy to fabricate a wide variety of important substituted molecular skeletons and an alternative to conventionally used metal salts, additives, and ligands.