Cesium propionate as an epoxide cleavage and inversion reagent

A new epoxide inversion method, based on cesium propionate as the epoxide-cleaving agent, was developed. The initial epoxide-cleavage reaction produced a pair of regioisomeric propionates that were mesylated and methanolyzed to produce the inverted epoxide. Several new epoxides were prepared by this method, including 3,4-epoxy alcohols, which are important precursors for polypropionate synthesis.