“…For over eighty years, the use of OsO 4 has been developed and refined, forming the basis of one of the most powerful transformations in synthetic chemistry: the Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation (SAD) . Despite this reaction's widespread popularity, the toxicity of osmium and high levels of inorganic waste are commonly cited limitations, which has prompted the development of a number of alternative metal catalysts, including palladium, iron, ruthenium, manganese, and copper systems . Metal-free methods for syn- dihydroxylation have been reported; however, this area is considerably less established than their metal-based counterparts. − To date, the development of an asymmetric, metal-free method for the syn -dihydroxylation of alkenes remains an elusive and attractive target.…”