Triselenium dicyanide (TSD) under microwave heating has been reported herein for the first time to be an efficient catalyst for the benzoin type condensation reaction and this has been applied for the synthesis of heteroins such as pteroin, quinoxaloin, quinoloin and pyridoin in moderate to good yields. Heteroin is produced by the dimerization of two molecules of N-heterocyclic aldehyde.
Keywords: Benzoin condensation, microwave-assisted synthesis, enediol, triselenium dicyanide (TSD)