Selenium- and tellurium-based ionic liquids and their use in the synthesis of octahydroacridines

A general and easy method for the synthesis of several selenonium and telluronium salts is described. These compounds are acidic liquids at room temperature and were obtained in excellent yields. Phenyl butyl ethyl selenonium tetrafluoroborate was employed in the hetero-Diels-Alder cyclization of aryl imines derived from citronellal, affording octahydroacridines in good yields.