Fig. 1. The significance of optically pure 1,n-diols and the state of the art in their synthesis.

A Relevant drugs and chiral ligands synthesized from optically pure 1,n-diols. B Representative methods for the preparation of optically pure 1,n-diols. These protocols generally require the use of toxic or expensive metal catalysts. Methods capable of obtaining optically pure 1,n-diols from bulk chemicals with high stereoselectivity and atom economy are rarely known and still face significant challenges. C Working hypothesis: one-pot modular construction of chiral 1,n-syn-diols from high-production-volume chemicals ethylene glycol and 1,3-propanediol via photo-HAT/nickel dual catalysis.