Abstract: Elemental selenium is partially reduced via either disproportionation or reaction with sodium methanolate and hydrazine in dipolar aprotic media. These reductions both give polyselenide ions with a known average chain length, Sen2-(3 5 n 5 7). Alkylation of these anions proceeds with loss of selenium and formation of a mixture of dialkyl polyselenides, R-Sen,-R (2), with an average chain length m-2.25-2.50. 77Se chemical ...
