Sulfated zirconia and SZ/MCM-41 were used as catalysts for the synthesis of β-aminoalcohols via epoxide aminolysis. Sulfated zirconia was prepared by sol-gel and SZ/MCM-41 was obtained by impregnation. Solid catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM-EDS, UV-Vis, FT-IR pyridine desorption and Nitrogen physisorption. Both acid materials were useful as catalysts, even when they were recycled several times. The β-aminoalcohols were characterized by FT-IR, 1 H-and 13 C-NMR and GC-MS.

A solvent-free approach for the regioselective synthesis of β-amino alcohols in shorter reaction times and higher yields, compared to conventional heating is described. It involves microwave (MW) exposure of undiluted reactants in the presence of sulphated zirconia (SZ) or sulphated zirconia over MCM-41 (SZM) as catalyst. Both acid materials can be easily recovered and reused.

New azanucleosides were obtained using sulphated zirconia (ZS) as catalyst in the nucleophilic oxirane ring opening reaction of 1-allyl-3-(oxiran-2-ylmethyl) pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione and 1-allyl-5-methyl-3-(oxiran-2-ylmethyl)-pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione, with (S)-prolinol. The new templates were obtained with good yields following a route which exploits the reactivity of epoxides in the presence of sulphated zirconia as catalyst. The key step was carried out using microwave and solvent-free conditions and proceeds with high selectivity.