TiCl3(OTf) and TiO(TFA)2 Efficient Catalysts for Ring Opening of Epoxides with Alcohols, Acetic Acid and Water

Abstract

TiCl3(OTf) and TiO(TFA)2 can efficiently catalyze nucleophilic ring opening of epoxides in primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, acetic acid and water to give the corresponding β-alkoxy alcohols, β-acetoxy alcohols and vicinal diols with high stereo- and regioselectivity in excellent yields. The reaction of optically active styrene oxide in MeOH with two titanium reagents was found to be highly stereospecific and afforded the corresponding S-(+)-2-methoxy-2-phenyl ethanol in 89-95% ee.