Sulphated yttria-zirconia as a regioselective catalyst system for the alcoholysis of epoxidesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details and characterization data of selected products. See DOI: 10.1039/c2cy20116j

It has been reported that sulphated yttria-zirconia efficiently catalysed the epoxide ring opening with a variety of alcohols under solvent free conditions to give corresponding β-alkoxy alcohols. In most of the cases reaction of epoxides with 1°, 2° and 3° alcohols in the presence of catalytic amounts of SO 4 2− /Y x Zr 1− x O 2 gives exclusively one regioisomer with excellent yields. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM/EDAX, total acidity and TGA. The protocol is highly efficient, regioselective, atom economical, greener and applicable for a wide range of aliphatic and aromatic epoxides and alcohols with excellent yields of the corresponding β-alkoxy alcohols. The catalysts show reusability for up to four consecutive catalytic cycles without any significant loss of catalytic activity. An efficient protocol for the epoxide ring opening with a variety of alcohols under solvent free conditions catalysed by sulphated yttria-zirconia.