Bis(2-chloroethyl)selenide is the
organoselenium compound
Organoselenium compounds (or seleno-organic) are chemical compounds containing carbon-to-selenium chemical bonds. Organoselenium chemistry is the corresponding science exploring their properties and reactivity. Selenium belongs with oxygen and sulf ...
with the formula . As a haloalkyl derivative of
selenium
Selenium is a chemical element with the symbol Se and atomic number 34. It is a nonmetal (more rarely considered a metalloid) with properties that are intermediate between the elements above and below in the periodic table, sulfur and tellurium, ...
, it is an analogue of
bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide
Bis(2-chloroethyl)sulfide is the organosulfur compound with the formula . It is a prominent member of a family of cytotoxic and blister agents known as mustard agents. Sometimes referred to as '' mustard gas'', the term is technically incorrec ...
, the prototypical
sulfur mustard
Mustard gas or sulfur mustard is a chemical compound belonging to a family of cytotoxic and blister agents known as mustard agents. The name ''mustard gas'' is technically incorrect: the substance, when dispersed, is often not actually a gas, b ...
used in
chemical warfare
Chemical warfare (CW) involves using the toxic properties of chemical substances as weapons. This type of warfare is distinct from nuclear warfare, biological warfare and radiological warfare, which together make up CBRN, the military acronym ...
. Bis(2-chloroethyl)selenide has not been used as a chemical warfare agent, however it is still a potent
alkylating agent
Alkylation is the transfer of an alkyl group from one molecule to another. The alkyl group may be transferred as an alkyl carbocation, a free radical, a carbanion, or a carbene (or their equivalents). Alkylating agents are reagents for effecting al ...
and has potential in
chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherap ...
.
See also
*
Diethyl selenide
Diethyl selenide is an organoselenium compound with the formula . First reported in 1836, it was the first organoselenium compound to be discovered. It is the selenium analogue of diethyl ether. It has a strong and unpleasant smell.
Occurrence
Di ...
*
O-Mustard
References
Alkylating agents
Chloroethyl compounds
Mustard compounds
Organoselenium compounds
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