A dichotomy in the enantioselective oxidation of aryl benzyl sulfides: A combined experimental and computational work

作者：Capozzi Maria Annunziata M; Bottoni Andrea^*; Calvaresi Matteo; Cardellicchio Cosimo^*

来源：Tetrahedron, 2018, 74(16): 2041-2047.

DOI：10.1016/j.tet.2018.03.005

• Titanium
• Sulfoxide
• DFT computations
• Hydrobenzoin
• Oxidation mechanism

Pentafluorobenzyl pentafluorophenyl sulfide is oxidised with moderate e.e. value and a low yield by the usually highly successful oxidation protocol based upon tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) in the presence of a titanium/hydrobenzoin complex. This disappointing result resisted until the present work, in which the switch of the oxidation agent (from TBHP to cumene hydroperoxide), suggested by our previous computations, yielded the enantiopure sulfoxide. This valuable chiral compound was obtained in good yields (76%) without resorting to a chromatographic separation. DFT computations uncovered that this favourable reactivity was originated by a stabilizing pi-pi-stacking between the phenyl group of the oxidant and the pentafluorophenyl moiety of the substrate.

• 出版日期2018-4-19