Selenols are readily oxidized to the corresponding diselenides upon exposure to atmospheric oxygen. In addition they are extremely powerful hydrogen donors capable of reducing disulfides, sulfoxides, and aromatic azo compounds1 as well as other mild oxidizing agents such as 2, 4-dichlorophenolindophenol. 4 Chemical or biological work with dilute solutions of organic selenols must, therefore, be carried out with the strict exclusion ...
