Bismuth(III) chloride (BiCl3); An efficient catalyst for mild, regio- and stereoselective cleavage of epoxides with alcohols, acetic acid and water

Epoxides can be cleaved in a regio- and stereoselective manner with alcohols, acetic acid and water in the presence of catalytic amounts of bismuth(III) chloride, affording the corresponding beta-alkoxy and beta-acetoxy alcohols and diols in high yields.