Methaneselenol

Methaneselenol
Names
	IUPAC name Methaneselenol
	Other names monomethylselenide, MMSe
Identifiers
CAS Number	6486-05-1 ;
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image ;
ChEBI	CHEBI:64685 ;
ChemSpider	389633 ;
KEGG	C05703 ;
PubChem CID	440764 ;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID601344322 ;
	InChI Key: APKHDKJWSHYLEU-UHFFFAOYSA-N; InChI=1S/CH4Se/c1-2/h2H,1H3;
	SMILES C[SeH];
Properties
Chemical formula	CH3SeH
Molar mass	95.014 g·mol−1
Appearance	colorless gas
Odor	akin to rotten onions, feces, or "sickly sweet rotting garbage"
Boiling point	12 °C (54 °F; 285 K)
Related compounds
Related compounds	Methanol ; Methanethiol ; Methanetellurol ;
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Last updated May 29, 2025

Methaneselenol is the organoselenium compound with the formula C H ₃ SeH. It is the simplest selenol. A colorless, poisonous gas, it is notorious for its foul, putrid odor.

It is prepared by reaction of methyl lithium or a methyl Grignard reagent with selenium followed by protonation of the product. The compound is a metabolite.^[1]^[2]

According to IR spectroscopy, ν_Se-H = 2342 cm⁻¹. For the other homologues, ν_E-H = 1995 (E = Te), 2606 (E = S), and 3710 cm⁻¹ (E = O) for methanetellurol, methanethiol, and methanol.^[3]

References

↑ Zeng, Huawei; Wu, Min; Botnen, James H. (2009). "Methylselenol, a Selenium Metabolite, Induces Cell Cycle Arrest in G1 Phase and Apoptosis via the Extracellular-Regulated Kinase 1/2 Pathway and Other Cancer Signaling Genes". The Journal of Nutrition. 139 (9): 1613–1618. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.110320 . PMID 19625696.
↑ Amouroux, David; Donard, Olivier F. X. (1996). "Maritime emission of selenium to the atmosphere in Eastern Mediterranean seas". Geophysical Research Letters. 23 (14): 1777–1780. Bibcode:1996GeoRL..23.1777A. doi:10.1029/96GL01271.
↑ Hamada, K.; Morishita, H. (1977). "The Synthesis and the Raman and Infrared Spectra of Methanetellurol". Synthesis and Reactivity in Inorganic and Metal-Organic Chemistry. 7 (4): 355–366. doi:10.1080/00945717708069709.

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[1] Zeng, Huawei; Wu, Min; Botnen, James H. (2009). "Methylselenol, a Selenium Metabolite, Induces Cell Cycle Arrest in G1 Phase and Apoptosis via the Extracellular-Regulated Kinase 1/2 Pathway and Other Cancer Signaling Genes". The Journal of Nutrition. 139 (9): 1613–1618. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.110320 . PMID 19625696.

[2] Amouroux, David; Donard, Olivier F. X. (1996). "Maritime emission of selenium to the atmosphere in Eastern Mediterranean seas". Geophysical Research Letters. 23 (14): 1777–1780. Bibcode:1996GeoRL..23.1777A. doi:10.1029/96GL01271.

[Hamada-3] Hamada, K.; Morishita, H. (1977). "The Synthesis and the Raman and Infrared Spectra of Methanetellurol". Synthesis and Reactivity in Inorganic and Metal-Organic Chemistry. 7 (4): 355–366. doi:10.1080/00945717708069709.

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[2]

[3]

Names


IUPAC name Methaneselenol
Other names monomethylselenide, MMSe
Identifiers
CAS Number	6486-05-1 ^Y
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
ChEBI	CHEBI:64685
ChemSpider	389633
KEGG	C05703
PubChem CID	440764
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID601344322
InChI Key: APKHDKJWSHYLEU-UHFFFAOYSA-N InChI=1S/CH4Se/c1-2/h2H,1H3
SMILES C[SeH]
Properties
Chemical formula	CH₃SeH
Molar mass	95.014 g·mol⁻¹
Appearance	colorless gas
Odor	akin to rotten onions, feces, or "sickly sweet rotting garbage"
Boiling point	12 °C (54 °F; 285 K)
Related compounds
Related compounds	Methanol Methanethiol Methanetellurol
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references