Enantioselective synthesis of diaryl aziridines using tetrahydrothiophene-based chiral sulfides as organocatalysts

Chem Commun (Camb). 2014 Feb 4;50(9):1101-3. doi: 10.1039/c3cc47550f.

Abstract

This work describes catalytic and asymmetric aziridinations (15 examples, 95-98% ee) of benzyl bromide and imines via the imino Corey-Chaykovsky reaction using (thiolan-2-yl)diarylmethanol benzyl ether as an organocatalyst. The catalyst and analogues thereof were prepared through an expeditious and efficient synthetic route featuring a double nucleophilic substitution and Shi epoxidation as key steps.