Potassium Selenocyanate

Abstract

Potassium selenocyanate (KSeCN) is an easy-to-handle and readily available reagent. It is crystalline, colorless, highly hygroscopic, and air sensitive. Non-adequate storage may lead to its decomposition. This salt is soluble in protic solvents and non-protic polar solvent such as DMF, DMSO, NMP, and acetonitrile. This reagent is commercially available and seldom prepared in the laboratory. It can be synthesized from metallic selenium and potassium cyanide in hot water or ethanol. Methodologies employing KSeCN as the selenium source in the synthesis of organic selenocyanates and isoselenocyanates are practical and versatile. Because this functional group has a moderate reactivity, its conversion into other functional groups is highly interesting, allowing the formation of new C–Se bonds and the further generation of compounds with significant synthetic, pharmacological, and biological value.