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Alkenyl sulfoxide derivatives are obtained in high yields through a palladium-catalyzed Suzuki/Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of racemic and chiral 1-halo sulfoxides with aryl and alkenyl boronic acids. Chiral substrates react with no loss of optical purity and high optical yields. The reaction takes place with different palladium catalysts, such as Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 or Pd(OAc) 2 /DABCO. Although nitrogen ligands like DABCO lead to an active palladium catalyst, they are less effective than the phosphine ones.

The enantioselective protonation with 2-sulfinyl alcohols of lithium enolates of 2-arylcyclohexanones with different substituents on the phenyl group takes place with excellent enantioselectivities (89–99%). Chiral 2-phenylcyclohexanone and 2-arylcyclohexanones carrying electron donor substituents on the aromatic ring are converted into the corresponding trans -2-arylcyclohexanols by diastereoselective reduction with sodium naphthalenide in the presence of acetamide. The stereochemical integrity of the tertiary stereocenter is fully preserved using this reduction procedure. Interestingly, the chiral proton source is not consumed in the synthesis.

Enantioselective protonation of 2-methyl tetralone enolate using a stoichiometric amount of 2-sulfinyl alcohol ( S , R s )- 1 as a chiral proton donor yields the corresponding chiral ketone with a high level of enantioselectivity, provided that the chiral proton donor (CPD) is regenerated with an achiral proton source (APS). In contrast, stereoselectivity was only moderate if catalytic CPD (0.2 equiv.) and an APS are used.

A suitable method for the preparation of the chiral mixed O/S ligands 1,2-sulfinyl thiols is described. These compounds have then been used as a chiral proton source in the enantioselective protonation of 2-methyl tetralone enolate and the results are compared with those obtained from the analogous alcohols. A theoretical model is proposed to explain the different behaviors exhibited in the protonation reaction for each of these proton sources. Configurational assignments for the new chiral thiols have been carried out by means of X-ray analysis.

A facile and efficient separation of mixtures of epimeric α-sulfinyl alcohols 2:3 can be accomplished by selective lipase-catalyzed acylation with neat vinyl acetate. Pseudomonas cepacia and Candida rugosa lipase showed opposite epimer differentiation in the esterification.

The efficient asymmetric protonation of lithium enolates of 2-alkylcycloalkanones (87–96% ee) with readily accessible chiral α-sulfinyl alcohols is described. Optimal stereoselection is achieved for each lithium enolate at a different reaction temperature in the range −40 to −100°C.

meso -Diols derived from the Diels–Alder adduct 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan/dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate can be enantioselectively monoacetylated under CRL or PSL catalysis with very good yields and moderate to excellent ees. (+)-Monoacetates are always preferentially formed in the reactions catalyzed by CRL, and their (−)-enantiomers are the main products in the acetylations under PSL catalysis. Absolute configurations have been determined by X-ray analysis of a single crystal of an ( R )-α-methoxyphenylacetyl derivative.

The favourable effect of lithium bromide enhancing the facial enantioselectivity in the protonation of methyl tetralone enolate with α-sulfinyl alcohols is described. Theoretical calculations allow to propose a model to explain the stereochemical course of the protonation reaction.

First reactions of 3-(1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyrid-4-yl)-indoles 1 with a variety of carbo- and heterodienophiles are described. These reactions provide a new access to heterocyclic functionalized indoles and pyrido[c]annellated carbazoles, compounds of interest as potential antidepressive and antitumor active agents.

An efficient synthesis of trans-2-phenylcyclohexanol has been achieved by enantioselective protonation of the enolate of 2-phenylcyclohexanone with α-sulfinyl alcohols and subsequent reduction of the chiral ketone by sodium naphthalenide in the presence of acetamide. Interestingly, the chirality source is not consumed in the synthesis of the chiral target.

1-Phenyl-4-vinylpyrazole reacts with methyl propiolate and N-phenylmaleimide giving via the Diels-Alder 1:1 adducts, products (4) and (8), and also the 1:2 adducts (5), (6) and (9) resulting from an “ene” reaction of the initially forced cycloadducts. The obtention of the adducts (5) and (6) in equimolecular amounts is a good example of the non-regioselective character of the “ene” reaction. The reaction with tetracyanoethylene takes place through the olefinic substituent giving the π2 + π2 adduct (10).

1-Phenyl-4-vinylpyrazole reacts with 1-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione in methylene chloride to form an unstable azetidine (4). An intermediate 1,4-dipole is probably involved since, when the reaction is conducted in acetone, a 1:1:1 adduct (3) is isolated.