The keto and gem‐ester functionalities of cyclohexanonedicarboxylates (1) offer a facile route for the synthesis of 5,7‐diarylspiro[4,5,6,7‐tetrahydrobenzo[d][1,2,3]selena/thiadiazole‐6,5′‐(hexahydropyrimidine)]‐2′,4′,6′‐triones (6 and 8) and ‐2′‐thioxo‐4′,6′‐diones (7 and 9). The new compounds were characterized by IR, NMR, and CMR spectral data. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10: 17–23, 1999