Chiral seleno-amines from indium selenolates. A straightforward synthesis of selenocysteine derivatives.

A simple and efficient procedure for the synthesis of chiral beta-seleno-amines derivatives from a one-pot indium(I) iodide-mediated aziridine ring opening with diorganoyl diselenides has been developed. As an application, the synthesis of selenocysteine and selenotreonine derivatives has been accomplished.

Hydrotelluration of aminoalkynes.

Metal tellurolates (M = B3+; BuTeTeBu/NaBH4/EtOH; Li3+, Te0/BuLi/THF; In3+, BuTeTeBu/InI/EtOH) react with aminoalkynes to produce vinylic tellurides containing amino groups; the regio-, and stereo-chemistry of the hydrotelluration reaction depend on the metallic counter ion and on the nature of the amino group substituent.