Molecular iodine: a powerful catalyst for the easy and efficient synthesis of quinoxalines

Various biologically important quinoxaline derivatives were efficiently synthesized in excellent yields using inexpensive, nontoxic, and readily available bench top chemical, iodine in catalytic amount (10 mol %). Besides this, a systematic study was carried out to evaluate parameters such as solvent and catalyst loading. Several aromatic as well as aliphatic 1,2-diketones and aromatic 1,2-diamines, such as substituted phenylene diamines, tetra amines were further subjected to condensation using catalytic amounts of iodine to afford the products in excellent yield.