Superbase-promoted rearrangement of oxiranes to cyclopropanes

Aryl- and alkenyl substituted oxiranes, when submitted to treatment with superbasic reagents, undergo a highly regio- and stereoselective rearrangement leading to cyclopropylmethanol derivatives. The process can also be applied to mono- and dihydroxy substituted substrates thus leading to polyhydroxylated cyclopropanes