Imidazol-1-yl-acetic Acid as a Green Simple Bifunctional Organocatalyst for the Regioselective Conversion of Epoxides to 1,2-azido Alcohols and β-hydroxythiocyanates

Imidazol-1-yl-acetic acid is introduced as a new, efficient and recyclable green bifunctional organocatalyst for the synthesis of β-hydroxythiocyanate and 1,2-azido alcohols under mild conditions. This catalyst can be recovered by simple filtration and recycled up to 8 consecutive runs without losing any of its efficiency. Various advantages associated with this protocol include simple workup procedure, short reaction times, high product yields, greater regioselectivity.