One‐Pot Synthesis of Chiral α‐Substituted β,γ‐Epoxy Aldehyde Derivatives through an Asymmetric Aldol Reaction of Chloroacetaldehyde

Water is welcome! Chiral α‐substituted β,γ‐epoxides have been prepared in good yields and with excellent enantioselectivities in a one‐pot synthetic procedure. The key reaction of this process, which involves a series of uninterrupted sequential reactions, is an asymmetric aldol reaction of aqueous chloroacetaldehyde mediated by a diarylprolinol derivative (see scheme).