Materials and biological applications of 1,2,3-selenadiazoles: a review

In recent years, chemistry of metal-nitrogen–bonded compounds have attracted tremendous attention mainly because of unusual properties resulting from such a bond involving carbon and other heteroatoms. M?N–bonded compounds, when containing group VI elements, especially selenium, has attracted great attention in materials chemistry. In addition, the increased interest in synthesis of N-containing bioactive compounds with other heteroatoms such as selenium, sulfur, etc is mainly because of their tremendous potential as antioxidants, additives, dyes for polymers, and as insecticides, in solvent extraction, and in nanotechnology. Thus, the synthesis and applications of 1,2,3-selenadiazoles have attracted recent interest of materials scientists, including nanotechnologists, pharmaceutical chemists, and organic chemists. The chemistry of 1,2,3-selenadiazoles is highly rich and has been practiced ever since its first report in 1972. Such N-containing Se-heterocycles form several types of selenadiazoles that are a rich source of selenium for semiconductor nanoparticles of metal selenides. The materials chemistry of such molecules has been documented for over three decades, and their great scope in semiconductors has emerged. This review article is an attempt to bring a variety of materials and biological application of 1,2,3-selenadiazoles for better understanding of the researchers.