Exploiting Substrate Diversity for Preparing Synthetically Valuable Sulfoxides via Asymmetric Hydrogenative Kinetic Resolution

A detailed study is disclosed on the Rh-mediated hydrogenative kinetic resolution of alpha,beta-unsaturated sulfoxides with alkyl and aryl substituents at the alpha-,E- andZ-positions of the double bond. This stereoselective catalytic methodology has enabled the preparation of highly enantioenriched (or even enantiopure) alkyl and aryl-substituted (un)saturated sulfoxides via a simple and efficient synthetic operation. Moreover, the application of the hydrogenative KR to the preparation of valuable optically active sulfoxide-containing building blocks or biologically active intermediates is described.