Sodium dodecyl sulfate in water: greener approach for the synthesis of quinoxaline derivatives

A mild and efficient synthetic method has been developed for the preparation of biologically important quinoxalines in excellent yield from relatively safe precursor -bromoketones and 1,2-diamines using catalytic amount of micellar sodium dodecyl sulfate in water at ambient temperature. The method is also found effective for the introduction of quinoxaline moiety into the ring A of pentacyclic triterpenoid, friedelin. Ambient reaction conditions, renewable catalytic condition, inherently safer chemistry, excellent product yields, and water as a reaction medium display both economic and environmental advantages.