An Environmentally Benign Catalytic Method for Efficient and Selective Nucleophilic Ring Opening of Oxiranes by Zirconium Tetrakis(dodecyl Sulfate)

An operationally simple and environmentally benign protocol for a highly regio- and chemosclective preparation of beta-substituted alcohols by means of ring-opening reactions of oxiranes with various aliphatic alcohols, H2O. NaN3, and NaCN as nucleophiles in the presence of catalytic amounts of zirconium tetrakis(dodecyl sulfate) as Lewis acid/surfactant-combined catalysts (LASCs) was developed. The high efficiency of the catalyst was confirmed by the high product yields obtained within desired times and, in particularly by the reusability of the Zr-IV complex.