Over the past decades, many efficient methodologies have been developed that allow for the enantioselective synthesis of chiral sulfinyl compounds. However, the enantioselective deoxygenation of hexavalent sulfones for the formation of chiral sulfinyl compounds still remains one of the major challenges in the fields of asymmetric synthesis and organosulfur chemistry. Here we have demonstrated that a synergistic combination of organocatalysis and the incorporation of a cyano group into the sulfone generates a chiral sulfinic species as an active intermediate. A wide range of chiral sulfinates with high enantioselectivities could then be acquired using alcohols as nucleophiles, and the subsequent transformations allowed the collective preparation of a variety of chiral sulfinyl compounds. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the catalytic cycle involves a quinuclidine-assisted stepwise 1,2-cyano group transfer, base-assisted intermolecular substitution with alcohol and regeneration of the active catalyst. The enantioselectivity was determined by the cyano migration step.

在过去的几十年里，已经开发了许多有效的方法，可以实现手性亚磺酰化合物的对映选择性合成。然而，六价砜的对映选择性脱氧以形成手性亚磺酰基化合物仍然是不对称合成和有机硫化学领域的主要挑战之一。在这里，我们已经证明有机催化和将氰基结合到砜中的协同组合产生手性亚磺酸物种作为活性中间体。然后可以使用醇作为亲核试剂获得各种具有高对映选择性的手性亚磺酸盐，随后的转化允许集体制备各种手性亚磺酰基化合物。密度泛函理论计算表明，催化循环涉及奎宁环辅助的逐步1,2-氰基转移、碱辅助的醇分子间取代和活性催化剂的再生。对映选择性由氰基迁移步骤确定。