A general phosphoric acid-catalyzed desymmetrization of meso-aziridines with silylated selenium nucleophiles.

The first example of meso-aziridine desymmetrization with selenium nucleophiles is reported. The reaction, promoted by VAPOL-hydrogen phosphate using (phenylseleno)trimethylsilane as the nucleophile, proves to be very general and highly enantioselective (84-99% ee).