Cerium( IV ) Enabled Expedient and Regioselective Chalcogenocyanation of Indoloquinoxalines in Aqueous Ethanol Under Ambient Conditions

The site‐selective functionalization of indoloquinoxaline scaffolds remains underexplored despite their significant biological and pharmaceutical relevance. In this context, we report a practical and efficient method for the regioselective chalcocyanation of indoloquinoxaline hybrids under a mild aqueous protic solvent system. This approach utilizes the synergistic use of the inexpensive and operationally convenient reagents, namely ammonium thiocyanate/potassium selenocyanate as an effective source of chalcocyanating reagent, along with ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as an oxidizing agent. The formation of a wide range of thiocyanated/selenocyanated indoloquinoxaline products integrated with biologically important phenyl, benzoyl, benzoylester and phthalazinone functionalities at room temperature in a short reaction time are the notable feature of this reaction.