Easy and efficient selenocyanation of imidazoheterocycles using triselenodicyanide

The regioselective selenocyanation of imidazoheterocycles using triselenodicyanide at room temperature is reported. The electrophilic aromatic substitution of a broad range of substrates is promoted by the triselenodicyanide obtained by oxidative coupling of malononitrile and selenium dioxide, under an air atmosphere. The major advantages of the presented method are an easy set-up, excellent yields, short reaction times, use of odorless and inexpensive reagents and easy purification of the final products.