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 β-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 β-cyclodextrin. This is a direct one-pot synthesis of β-hydroxy selenides under mild conditions using water as solvent and has many advantages over the existing methodologies. β-Cyclodextrin can also be recovered and reused.