Abstract The bimetallic reagent Sn (II)/Cu (II) in [bmim] BF 4 was efficiently used for the cleavage of diaryl diselenides and disulfides and reacts with a variety of organic substrates, such as organic halides, acid chlorides, and β-amino mesylates affording the diorganyl selenides and sulfides within very short reaction times, under mild conditions and with excellent yields, using BMIM-BF 4 as a reusable solvent.