Novel selenium containing non-detergent sulphobetaines

The first selenium containing non-detergent sulphobetaines are described. They have been prepared in multi-gram quantities from readily available pyridyl precursors. Incorporation of selenium was achieved using nucleophilic organoselenide anions. The resulting products were shown by ⁷⁷Se NMR spectroscopy to be homogeneous with respect to selenium oxidation state.