The effects of σC—Se–π hyperconjugation in 1‐methoxy‐ and 1‐nitro‐4‐[(phenylselanyl)methyl]benzene

The structures of 1‐methoxy‐4‐(phenylselanyl)methyl]benzene, C₁₄H₁₄OSe, (1), and 1‐nitro‐4‐(phenylselanyl)methyl]benzene, C₁₃H₁₁NO₂Se, (2), were determined at 130 K. The two structures, which differ in that (1) contains an electron‐rich aromatic ring and (2) contains an electron‐deficient aromatic ring, both adopt conformations which allow for σ_C—Se–π hyperconjugation. However, although there are significant differences in the ⁷⁷Se chemical shifts for these two compounds, they do not display significantly different H₂C—Se or H₂C—C_ar bond lengths, suggesting that the effects of σ_C—Se–π hyperconjugation in (1) and (2) are not strong enough to be manifested in measurable differences in the structural parameters.