Rapid Ring‐Opening Reactions of Epoxides using Microwave Irradiation

Abstract

Copper tetrafluoroborate catalyzes the ring‐opening of epoxides with primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols in short reaction times under microwave irradiation to give β‐alkoxyalcohol products in excellent yields.

Keywords:

• β‐alkoxyalcohols
• copper tetrafluoroborate
• microwave irradiation

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) (D. D. H.) and the European Union (EU) for funding under the Erasmus program (C. T.), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) National Mass Spectrometry Service, University of Wales Swansea, U.K., and Nick Morgan for his thoughtful and helpful insights.