Aromatic and Azaaromatic Diselenides, Benzisoselenazolones and Related Compounds as Immunomodulators Active in Humans: Synthesis and Properties

Convenient syntheses of aryl diselenides 2, 1,2‐benzisoselenazol‐3(2H)‐ones 4 and their 1‐oxides 7 are reported. Reductive conversions of these compounds to bis(2‐carbamoyl)‐phenyl diselenides 5 and oxidative cyclization of 5 to 1,2‐benzisoselenazol‐3(2H)‐one 1‐oxides 7 as the methods for the synthesis of these compounds are reported. Their ability to induce cytokines, such as TNF and IFN‐γ, in human peripheral blood leucocyte cultures is described.