Sodium hydroselenide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a salt of hydrogen selenide. It consist of sodium cations and hydroselenide anions . Each unit consists of one sodium, one selenium, and one hydrogen atom. Sodium hydroselenide is a selenium analog of sodium hydroxide NaOH.
Sodium hydroselenide can be made by reducing selenium with sodium borohydride:
Alternatively it can be made from sodium ethoxide exposed to hydrogen selenide:[1]
Sodium hydroselenide is not made for storage, instead it is used immediately after production in a fume hood thanks to the appalling odour of hydrogen selenide.
Sodium hydroselenide dissolves in water or ethanol. In humid air sodium hydroselenide is changed to sodium polyselenide and elemental selenium.[1]
Sodium hydroselenide is slightly reducing.[1]
In organic synthesis, hydrogen sodium hydroselenide is a nucleophillic agent for insertion of selenium.[1]