Bismuth(III) Chloride (BiCl₃); An Efficient Catalyst for Mild, Regio- and Stereoselective Cleavage of Epoxides with Alcohols, Acetic Acid and Water

Abstract

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 β-alkoxy and β-acetoxy alcohols and diols in high yields.