Novel approach to multifunctionalized homoallylic alcohols via regioselective ring opening of aryl oxiranes with 3-iodo allenoates.

[reaction: see text] 3-Iodo allenoates were generated in situ and utilized, for the first time, in the ring opening of oxiranes in a regioselective fashion. This simple one-pot three-component reaction protocol provides easy access to highly functionalized homoallylic alcohols in good yields and moderate to very good (Z/E) selectivity. The two functional groups (ester and halogen) can be further subjected to many synthetic transformations.