Synthesis of β-hydroxy selenides using benzeneselenol and oxiranes under supramolecular catalysis in the presence of β-cyclodextrin in water

A simple and efficient method for the synthesis of beta-hydroxy selenides is reported at room temperature in impressive yields for the first time by the highly the regioselective ring-opening of oxiranes with benzeneselenol in water under supramolecular catalysis in the presence of beta-cyclodextrin. This is a direct one-pot synthesis of beta-hydroxy selenides under mild conditions using water as solvent and has many advantages over the existing methodologies. beta-Cyclodextrin can also be recovered and reused. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.