A ruthenium(II)-catalyzed highly selective Markovnikov hydrogenation of terminal epoxides to secondary alcohols is reported. Diverse substitutions on the aryl ring of styrene oxides are tolerated. Benzylic, glycidyl, and aliphatic epoxides as well as diepoxides also underwent facile hydrogenation to provide secondary alcohols with exclusive selectivity. Metal-ligand cooperation-mediated ruthenium trans-dihydride
Here described an efficient and regioselective hydroboration of epoxides to secondary alcohols, the reaction is catalyzed by a combined NaOH/BEt3 catalyst. Such a transition-metal-free catalytic system is suitable for many halogenated compounds and well-tolerated to olefin group under mild conditions.