An escapade in the world of sulfenate anions: generation, reactivity and applications in domino processes

An escapade in the world of sulfenate anions is described and shows that these nucleophiles, despite being described as unstable species, are mild and efficient sulfinylating agents, allowing access to a variety of allyl and aryl sulfoxides under smooth and operationally very simple conditions. Their use in asymmetric catalysis is also possible allowing the preparation of enantio-enriched sulfoxides. Moreover, such anions have been involved in the development of two new pseudo-domino processes. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.