Synthesis of Chiral Vicinal Amino Alcohol Derivatives via Lewis Acid‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Ring Opening of Aziridines with Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids

Abstract Under the catalysis of a Cu(I) or Ag(I) salt with a chiral diphosphine ligand, the enantioselective nucleophilic ring opening of racemic 2‐styrenylaziridines via kinetic resolution or dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation (DyKAT) and of meso aziridines via desymmetrization with alcohols was realized. The reaction provided a range of chiral vicinal amino ether derivatives in 47%‐98% yields and with 50%–98% ee. The reaction could be extended to aliphatic carboxylic acids as nucleophiles. The synthetic utility was demonstrated in a four‐step formal synthesis of a diastereomer of the antirythmetic agent vernakalant.