Trihaloisocyanuric Acid/Triphenylphosphine: An Efficient System for Regioselective Conversion of Epoxides into Vicinal Halohydrins and Vicinal Dihalides under Mild Conditions

A new synthetic method has been developed for the regioselective conversion of epoxides to vicinal chloro-/bromohydrins and vicinal dihalides by reaction with the system trihaloisocyanuric acid/tri­phenylphosphine in acetonitrile under mild and neutral conditions. The reactions proceed smoothly in high yield at room temperature and at reflux, respectively, over a short time.