Enantioselective synthesis of sulfur-stereogenic alkyl sulfilimines with C( sp 3 )–H-derived alkyl radicals using copper catalysis (opens in new tab)

Sulfur-stereogenic motifs are important in natural products, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and chiral ligands and catalysts, and are increasingly explored in functional materials. Direct enantioselective S-alkylation using non-prochiral C(sp3)–H bonds, particularly unactivated ones, offers an ideal atom-economical route to sulfur-stereogenic centres, yet remains highly challenging as their activation typically requires strong oxidants, and chemo- and enantiocontrol in the ensuing radical pro...