Sulfonyloxaziridines, and

Oxidation of chiral sulfonimines (R"S02N=CHAr)and chiral sulfamyl-imines (R RNS02N=CHAr)affords optically active 2-sulfonyloxaziridines and 2-sulfamyloxaziridines, respectively. These chiral, oxidizing reagents have been used in the asymmetric oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides (15-68% ee), 11-13 selenides to selenoxides (8-9% ee] enolates to a-hydroxycarbonyl compounds (8-37% ee) and in the asymmetric epoxidation of alkenes (15-40% ee)... 

Of particular concern with a-hydroxy carbonyl compounds is the stereochemistry of the hydroxy group attached to the stereogenic carbon because biological activity is often critically dependent on its orientation. A-Sulfonyloxaziridines have played a prominent role in the stereoselective synthesis of this key structural element (Scheme 25). Enantiomerically and diastereomerically enriched materials have been prepared by (1) the hydroxylation of chiral nonracemic enolates with racemic A-sulfonyloxaziridines, for example (63a) (2) the asymmetric hydroxylation of prochiral enolates with enantiopure A-sulfonyloxaziridines and (3) a combination of the first two, double stereodifferentiation. 

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