Quaternary ammonium salt mediated highly regioselective ring opening of aziridines with zinc(II) halides to racemic and non-racemic 𝛽-halo amines in excellent yield and selectivity is described. The reaction proceeds via an SN2-type pathway and the partial racemization of the starting substrate and the product was effectively controlled by using quaternary ammonium salts to afford the enantioenriched products (er up to 95:5).
