Synthesis of enantiopure azetidines: a route to new β-amino alcohols

β-Amino alcohols possessing an E vinylsilane moiety were cyclized in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide to afford diastereoisomerically pure polyfunctional azetidines. These azetidines were then transformed into enantiopure β-amino alcohols with a Z vinylic bromide moiety.