Ring-opening Reaction Of Terminal Epoxides Catalyzed By Substituted Guanidine

The reaction of diethylamine with triphosgene gave tetraethylurea 1, which was treated with phosphorus pentachloride followed by t-butylamine to afford 1 ,1,3,3-tetraethyl-2-t-butyl guanidine 2. In the presence of 5-10 mol % of 2, a series of terminal epoxides were reacted with phthalimide to form the ring-opening products, which, on treating with hydrazine to give 13 ? aminoalcohols in moderate yield.