Facile synthesis of N,N‐dialkylselenoamides from amides

N,N‐Dialkylamides were chlorinated with oxalyl chloride and then allowed to react with LiAlHSeH to afford the corresponding N,N‐dialkyselenoamides in moderate to good yields. The N,N‐dialkylamides bearing bulky substituent groups were not converted into the corresponding selenoamides because of their steric hindrance. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 13:195–198, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10016