Steric Tuning of Sulfinamide/Sulfoxides as ChiralLigands with C 1 , Pseudo- meso , and Pseudo‑ C 2 Symmetries: Applicationin Rhodium(I)-MediatedArylation

A new family of sulfinamide/sulfoxide derivatives was synthesized as chiral bidentate ligands by stereoselective additions of methylsulfinyl carbanions to N-tert-butylsulfinylimines. The new ligands, with C1, pseudo-meso, and pseudo-C2 symmetries, were successfully assayed in Rh-catalyzed additions of arylboronic acids to activated ketones. The sterically dissymmetric C1 ligand (RS,SC,RS)-N-[1-(phenylsulfinyl)-3-methylbut-2-yl] tert-butylsulfinamide turned out to be the optimal one, allowing the 1,4-additions of diverse arylboronic acids, on different α,β-unsaturated cyclic ketones with high chemical yields and enantioselectivities up to >99% ee.