Enantiopure sulfoxides: recent applications in asymmetric synthesis

Abstract

Sulfoxides are nowadays recognised as powerful chiral auxiliaries that may participate in a wide range of asymmetric reactions. Their high configurational stability, the existence of several efficient methods allowing the access to both configurations as well as their synthetic versatility are characteristic features offering a tremendous potential to develop new applications. Significant recent advances leading to high asymmetric inductions in carbon–carbon and carbon–oxygen bond forming reactions, and applications of homochiral sulfoxides to atroposelective synthesis and asymmetric catalysis are discussed. New uses of sulfoxides in the design of chiroptical switches are also shown.