Stereo- and Regioselective Zinc-Mediated Ring-Opening of Epoxides with Diselenides

Two convenient rapid, efficient, stereoselective and highly regioselective methods for the synthesis of (beta)-hydroxy selenides by the direct opening of epoxides with diselenides in acetonitrile in the presence of either Zn/AlCl3 or zinc powder in aqueous sodium hydroxide solution are described. These methods appear to be competitive with the other methods previously reported.