Organocatalysis in the stereoselective bromohydrin reaction of alkenes

An efficient regio- and stereo-selective (>99:1) trans-bromohydrination (bromohydroxylation and bromomethoxylation) of alkenes including α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds with N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) has been achieved by using 1.0 mol% of N,N′-diarylthiourea catalyst.