LAUSR

Herein a yttrium-catalyzed regioselective ring opening reaction of 2,3-epoxy esters and amides with amines as nucleophiles is pre-sented. This method features high regiocontrol, enantiospecific SN2 reaction pathway, broad substrate scope and mild reaction condi-tions, furnishing a wide range of α-hydroxyl β-amino esters and amides in regioisomerically pure form. Notably, the selective nucle-ophilic attack to the C-3 position is controlled by the directing effect of the carbonyl group of the substrates.