A Facile Access to Sterically Less Crowded to More Crowded Organo Triselones

The reaction of 2,4,6‐N’‐imidazolium(N‐alkyl or N‐aryl)‐mesitylene bromides (alkyl=Me, isopropyl, vinyl, allyl; aryl=2,6‐dimethyl‐phenyl and 2,6‐diiospropyl‐phenyl) with six equivalents of selenium powder and potassium carbonate gave corresponding 2,4,6‐N’‐imidazole(N‐alkyl or N‐aryl)‐selone‐mesitylenes in very good yield. These new compounds were characterized by multinuclear (1D and 2D) NMR, FT‐IR, UV‐vis and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction techniques. These trisimidazole selones are the first structurally characterized triselones supported by aryl platform. An interesting geometrical orientation of imidazole selones was observed from the solid‐state structures of trisimidazole selones. The orientation of imidazole selones in isopropyl and vinyl trisimidazole selone derivatives are in propeller shape, while methyl, allyl, 2,6‐dimethyl‐phenyl and 2,6‐diiospropyl‐phenyl derivatives of trisimidazole selone derivatives are in twisted propeller shape. The synthesis and characterization of six new imidazole triselones are presented. These are the first examples of structurally characterized organo‐triselone molecules.