Bioglycerol-based sulphonic acid functionalized carbon: an efficient and recyclable, solid acid catalyst for the regioselective azidolysis of epoxides in aqueous acetonitrile.

A convinent and efficient method was developed for the synthesis of 1,2-azidoalcohols by ring opening of terminal epoxides with sodium azide employing glycerol-based sulphonic acid functionalized carbon as heterogeneous catalyst in aqueous acetonitrile. The reaction is highly regioselective and affords the corresponding products in excellent yields (78-100%) under mild reaction conditions. The catalyst exhibited efficient reusability without loosing its activity even after 5 cycles of azidolysis of methyl 10,11-epoxy undecanoate under optimized conditions within 2 h.