REDUCTION OF β-HYDROXYSULFOXIDES: APPLICATION TO THE SYNTHESIS OF OPTICALLY ACTIVE EPOXIDES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)61904-4

β-hydroxysulfoxides of opposite stereochemistry can be prepared in very high diastereoisomeric excesses (90 to 95 percent) by reduction of β-ketosulfoxides with DIBAL or DIBAL/ZnCl2.A very efficient method to transform these reduction products into optically active epoxides is also described.