A highly practical procedure for the preparation of novel classes of chalcogen bearing diamines [{H 2 N(CH 2 ) n } 2 E] and diols [{HO(CH 2 ) n } 2 E] (n = 2 or 3 and E = Se or Te) by the reaction of disodiumchalcogenide and haloalkylamines or haloalcohols is presented. ... Various routes to generate sodium chalcogenides or dichalcogenides are available in the literature. 8 We followed one of the literature procedures for the reduction of elemental selenium 9a (in ethanol) ...