A new and general synthesis of chiral β-ketosulfoxides by reaction of (+)-(R)-methyl p-tolyl sulfoxide with nitriles

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(99)01951-6

The nitrile functional group is efficiently transformed into the β-ketosulfoxide moiety by reaction with the anion formed from (+)-(R)-methyl p-tolyl sulfoxide and aqueous acidic work-up of the reaction.