Asymmetric Ring Opening of Epoxides with Silicon Tetrachloride

It is unusual to see a paper withdrawn from publication, but it has been found that an earlier report on the asymmetric ring opening of cyclooctene epoxides to give the chlorohydrins cannot be reproduced. Although the professor’s co-workers repeated the results, other groups could not. So the professor himself tried the experiment and could not get it to work – a brave man! Other work must also be cast in doubt (Buono G, Angew Chem Int Edn, 2001, 40, 4536; 2000, 39, 2554).