Facile isomerization of oxiranes to allyl alcohols by mixed metal bases

The mixt. of LiN(CHMe2)2 and KOCMe3 (LIDAKOR reagent) promotes smooth ring opening of oxiranes to afford allyl alcs. with good to excellent yields. Internal epoxyalkanes and large-sized epoxycycloalkanes give preferentially or exclusively (E)-alkenols. The regio- and stereochem. of the ring-opening reaction are essentially the consequence of syn-periplanar elimination mechanisms.