The Free Internet Journal Review for Organic Chemistry Archive for Arkivoc 2017, part ii, 457-491 Organic Chemistry Biological and chemical interest in selenium: a brief historical account João B. T. Rocha,a,b,* Bruna C. Piccoli,b and Cláudia S. Oliveirab a Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria,Santa Maria, RS, Brazil b Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica Toxicológica, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria,Santa Maria, RS, Brazil E-mail:
[email protected] Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Jacek Młochowski on the occasion of his 80th anniversary Received 07-06-2016 Accepted 09-24-2016 Published on line 12-27-2016 Abstract This review presents a brief account of the discovery, importance, and use of selenium. Based in the importance of selenoproteins, their mechanism of reaction with the participation of selenium, as a selenol (-SeH) group, are indicated. Since the selenol group is the softest nucleophile center found in life, a brief discussion about the synthesis and possible antioxidant and selenoprotein mimetic effects of the organoselenium compounds that can generate the selenol group is presented. Keywords: Selenol, organoselenium compounds, selenoprotein mimetic, selenite toxicity DOI: https://doi.org/10.24820/ark.5550190.p009.784 Page 457 ©ARKAT USA, Inc Arkivoc 2017, ii, 457-491 Rocha, J. et al Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1.1 The selenol group: the softest of the nucleophiles in cell biology 1.2 The essentiality of selenium to life 2. Chemical Interest in the Use of Selenium in Organic Synthesis 2.1 A brief history of the synthesis of organoselenium compounds 2.2 Re-discovery of Ebselen: can the chemist imitate chemistry of life? 3.