An iterative and convergent synthesis of syn polyols

We have developed a new iterative and convergent synthesis of alternating (1,3,5...) polyol chains based on enantiomerically enriched (94% ee) chloro nitrile 1. Chloro nitrile 1 is both a potential nucleophile and a potential electrophile; orthogonal nucleophilic or electrophilic activation leads to a highly efficient synthetic strategy for alternating polyol chains