Chiral N,N′-dioxide–iron(III)-catalyzed asymmetric sulfoxidation with hydrogen peroxide.

A highly enantioselective sulfoxidation of various sulfides has been achieved by a N,N′-dioxide–iron(III) complex with 35% aq. H2O2 as the oxidant. The utility of the current method was demonstrated by asymmetric gram-scale synthesis of drug molecule (R)-modafinil. Moreover, a possible working mode was provided to elucidate the chiral induction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]