Study on Oxidation of Benzhydrol and Þ-Chlorobenzhydrol by Selenium Dioxide: Reaction Kinetics

It is known from a long time that rare earths compound viz. Selenium dioxide (SeO2), Selenious and Selenic acids as well as selenites are readily reduced by a variety of substances to selenium but their oxidizing properties were not studies systematically. Riley, Morley and Friend 1 were the first pioneer to introduce the potential of SeO2 as an oxidant, since then considerable progress has been made for the oxidation of a large number of organic compounds. 2 In presence of strong mineral acids such as H2SO4, it gives rise existing active oxidizing species H3SeO3 + or AcH3SeO3 to cause the reaction.