Abstract

The selenenate anion (RSeO−) is introduced as an active organocatalyst for the dehydrohalogen coupling of benzyl halides to form trans-stilbenes. It is shown that RSeO− is a more reactive catalyst than the previously reported sulfur analogues (sulfenate anion, RSO−) and selenolate anions (RSe−) in the aforementioned reaction. This catalytic system was also applied to the benzylic-chloromethyl-coupling polymerization (BCCP) of a bis-chloromethyl arene to form ppv (poly(p-phenylene vinylene))-type polymers with high yields, Mn (average molecular weight) up to 13,000 and Đ (dispersity) of 1.15. (Figure presented.).