A novel role of zeolite NaY in the thermal reaction of alkyl aryl selenoxides in its supercages.

Thermal reaction of alkyl aryl selenoxides in the presence of water or methanol in the supercage of zeolite NaY gave beta-hydroxy- or beta-methoxyalkyl aryl selenides, respectively, and NaY played a novel role to stabilize reactive ArSeOH and to separate an anion of -OH from a carbonium ion which was simultaneously present with the -OH in a supercage.