Two series of chiral allylic alcohols, derived from alpha,beta-unsaturated cyanohydrins, were subjected to asymmetric epoxidation under a variety of conditions. Both achiral (organic peracid, metal-catalyzed peroxide) and chiral (Sharpless titanium-tartrate system) oxidants were applied. Several three and all theoretically possible erythro epoxides were isolated in enantiomerically and diastereomerically pure form. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd