Enantiopure 1,4-diols and 1,4-aminoalcohols via stereoselective acyclic sulfoxide-sulfenate rearrangement.

Treatment of acyclic α-hydroxy and α-tosylamino sulfinyl dienes with amines affords enantiopure 1,4-diol or 1,4-hydroxysulfonamide derivatives in good yields and diastereoselectivities. This one-pot procedure entails a conjugate addition that triggers a diastereoselective sulfoxide−sulfenate [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement.