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The hydrolytic kinetic resolution (HKR) of terminal epoxides catalyzed by chiral (salen)CoIII complex 1·OAc affords both recovered unreacted epoxide and 1,2-diol product in highly enantioenriched form. As such, the HKR provides general access to useful, highly enantioenriched chiral building blocks that are otherwise difficult to access, from inexpensive racemic materials. The reaction has several appealing features from a practical standpoint, including the use of H2O as a reactant and low loadings (0.2−2.0 mol %) of a recyclable, commercially available catalyst. In addition, the HKR displays extraordinary scope, as a wide assortment of sterically and electronically varied epoxides can be resolved to ≥99% ee. The corresponding 1,2-diols were produced in good-to-high enantiomeric excess using 0.45 equiv of H2O. Useful and general protocols are provided for the isolation of highly enantioenriched epoxides and diols, as well as for catalyst recovery and recycling. Selectivity factors (krel) were determined ...

Imidazoline‐directed lithiation of 2‐o‐tolyl‐4,5‐dihydro‐1H‐imidazole and its subsequent treatment with electrophiles yields C‐alkylated products, without the need for a nitrogen protecting group. A variety of electrophiles were used to install aromatic, heteroaromatic, and alkyl substituted moieties.