Potassium selenocyanate as an efficient selenium source in C-Se cross-coupling catalyzed by copper iodide in water

An efficient and conceptually new protocol for C-Se cross coupling of potassium selenocyanate with aryl halides via copper-catalyzed cascade reaction has been developed in water. Utilizing this protocol, a variety of aryl and heteroaryl halides were reacted with potassium selenocyanate to afford the corresponding diaryl selenides in moderate to good yields.