An efficient synthesis of 2-amino alcohols by silica gel catalysed opening of epoxide rings by amines

Silica gel (60–120 mesh) efficiently catalyses the opening of epoxides by amines at rt under solvent-free conditions. Non-styrenoidal unsymmetrical alkene oxides undergo selective nucleophilic attack at the sterically less hindered carbon by aniline. A complementary regioselectivity is exhibited by aromatic and aliphatic amines during the reaction with styrene oxide