Catalytic Asymmetric Conjugate Reduction of β,β‐Disubstituted α,β‐Unsaturated Sulfones

Abstract

Access to a chiral sulfone: Asymmetric conjugate reduction of β,β-disubstituted α,β-unsaturated 2-pyridylsulfones with silanes under CuI/binap catalysis provides chiral sulfones with excellent chemical yields and enantioselectivities (see scheme). These enantioenriched 2-pyridylsulfones are versatile intermediates in the preparation of a wide variety of functionalized chiral compounds. binap=2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)-1,1′-binaphthyl.