HBF 4 •DEE-catalyzed formation of sulfinyl imines: synthesis and mechanistic studies

Abstract A mild acid-catalysed method is reported for the formation of sulfinyl imines from tert -butanesulfinamide and aromatic or aliphatic aldehydes using tetrafluoroboric acid diethyletherate (10 mol%) in dichloromethane. Reactions were performed at room temperature and gave the corresponding sulfinyl imines in excellent yield after 2 h. A DFT study was performed and a mechanism for the reaction is postulated.