Active Copper Catalyzed Regioselective Ring Opening of Epoxides by Heterocyclic Amines: An Efficient Protocol for Synthesis of β-Amino Alcohols

The regioselective epoxide ring opening at less substituted carbon atom of epoxide were reported by nucleophiles like heterocyclic amines which gives well known 1,2-difunctionalized amino alcohols. These are present in many synthetic as well as natural products. The ring opening of epoxide is achieved by cleavage with amines in presence of copper(0) as a catalyst. It is observed that the lithium napthalenide reduction of copper(I) produces a highly reactive form of copper(0) that acts as a catalyst for ring opening of epoxides with an amine.