title: Asymmetric copper-catalyzed
abstract: The asymmetric copper-catalyzed generation and subsequent [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of sulfur ylides is strongly dependent on the structure of the starting allyl sulfide. A series of alkyl and aryl substituted allyl sulfides (2a-i) were reacted with ethyl diazoacetate in the presence of copper triflate (CuOTf) and a C2-symmetric bis-oxazoline ligand (5a-c). The degree of asymmetric induction ranged from 2.8% for allyl methyl sulfide (2a) to 60% for (1S,2S,5R)-(+)-allyl menthyl sulfide (2d). The enantioselectivity of the reactions was also dependent on the electronic nature of the sulfide; allyl phenyl sulfide (2e) gave a 14% ee, whereas allyl p-methoxyphenyl sulfide (2i) produced only an 8% ee. The stereochemistry of 2d and (1R,2S,5R)-(+)-allyl menthyl sulfide (7) was assigned on the basis of NMR spectroscopic experiments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, South Bend 46634-7111, USA.
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: McMillen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Varga
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: King