Oxiranyl anion-mediated synthesis of highly enantiomerically enriched styrene oxide derivatives.

[reaction: see text] The stereospecific alpha-lithiation of optically active styrene oxides and the trapping reaction of the corresponding highly reactive intermediates with electrophiles to produce optically active styrene oxide derivatives are described. This methodology has been applied to the synthesis of an optically active oral antifungal agent of industrial interest.