A simple route to syn α-Amino-β-Hydroxy esters by C-2 regioselective opening of a, β-Epoxy esters with metal halides

α,β-Epoxy esters are opened by NaX (X = I, Br) in a regio and stereoselective fashion to β-hydroxy-α-halo esters, which represent suitable precursors of syn α-amino-β-hydroxy esters and β-hydroxy esters.