Abstract
trans‐β‐Phenylglycidic esters undergo ring opening when treated in tert‐butyl alcohol with primary amines (R–NH2, with R = secondary group or tertiary group), which attacks epoxide exclusively at C‐3 and avoids aminolysis of the ester group affording the erythro‐β‐amino‐α‐hydroxy esters as the sole product.
Acknowledgment
We thank Pr. Driss A. for providing the x‐ray crystal analysis. Thanks are also due to Pr. Labassi T. for interesting and valuable English discussions.