Origins and applications of stereoselective sulfenate anion alkylation reactions

A Sulfoxide Reagent for One-Pot, Three-Component Syntheses of Sulfoxides and Sulfinamides

Sulfoxides and sulfinamides represent versatile sulfur functional groups found in ligands, chiral auxiliaries, and bioactive molecules. Canonical two-component syntheses, however, rely on substrates with a preinstalled C-S bond and impede efficient and modular access to these sulfur motifs. Herein is presented the application of an easily prepared, bench-stable sulfoxide reagent for one-pot, three-component syntheses of sulfoxides and sulfinamides. The sulfoxide reagent donates the SO unit upon the reaction with a Grignard reagent (RMgX) as a sulfenate anion (RSO^- ). While subsequent trapping reactions of this key intermediate with carbon electrophiles provide sulfoxides, a range of tertiary, secondary, and primary sulfinamides can be prepared by substitution reactions with electrophilic amines. The syntheses of sulfinamide analogs of amide- and sulfonamide-containing drugs illustrate the utility of the method for the rapid preparation of medicinally relevant molecules.

Modern Stereoselective Synthesis of Chiral Sulfinyl Compounds

Chiral sulfinyl compounds, sulfoxides, sulfoximines, sulfinamides, and other derivatives, play an important role in asymmetric synthesis as versatile auxiliaries, ligands, and catalysts. They are also recognized as pharmacophores found in already marketed and well-sold drugs (e.g., esomeprazole) and used in drug design. This review is devoted to the modern methods of preparation of sulfinyl derivatives in enantiopure or enantiomerically enriched form. Selected new approaches leading to racemic products for which the asymmetric variant can be developed in the future are mentioned as well.