Diols obtained via chemo and regioselective ring opening of epoxy alcohols: a straightforward synthesis of 2S,3S-Octandiol

epoxy alcohols are regio and chemoselectively opened to the corresponding iodohydrins and then reduced in situ to diols; the application of the described procedure leads to a short asymmetric of a well known pheromone. Also homoallylic (E and Z) epoxy alcohols and its benzylated derivatives shows high preference for regioselective opening affording the corresponding 1,3 diol.