Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Preparation of Stable Bicyclic Aziridinium Ions and Their Ring-Opening for the Synthesis of Azaheterocycles
Published on: August 22, 2018
N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines: versatile intermediates for the asymmetric synthesis of amines
Jonathan A Ellman1, Timothy D Owens, Tony P Tang
1Center for New Directions in Organic Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-1460,USA. jellman@uclink.berkeley.edu
Abstract:
N-tert-Butanesulfinyl aldimines 3 and ketimines 4 are exceedingly versatile intermediates for the asymmetric synthesis of amines. The N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines are prepared in high yields by condensing enantiomerically pure tert-butanesulfinamide 1, which is readily available in either configuration, with a wide range of aldehydes and ketones. The tert-butanesulfinyl group activates the imines for the addition of many different classes of nucleophiles, serves as a powerful chiral directing group, and after nucleophilic addition is readily cleaved by treatment of the product with acid. A wide range of highly enantioenriched amines, including alpha-branched and alpha,alpha-dibranched amines, alpha- and beta-amino acids, 1,2- and 1,3-amino alcohols, and alpha-trifluoromethyl amines, are efficiently synthesized using this methodology. In addition, N-tert-butanesulfinyl imine derivatives provide a new family of ligands for asymmetric catalysis.
Related Concept Videos
Aldehydes and Ketones with Amines: Imine and Enamine Formation Overview
Preparation of 1° Amines: Azide Synthesis
Azide ions act as good nucleophiles and react with unhindered alkyl halides to form alkyl azides. Alkyl azides do not participate in further nucleophilic substitution reactions, thereby eliminating the chances of polyalkylated products. Alkyl azides are reduced by hydride-based reducing agents, like lithium aluminum...
Preparation of 1° Amines: Hofmann and Curtius Rearrangement Overview
Aldehydes and Ketones with Amines: Imine Formation Mechanism
Imines are formed under mildly acidic conditions. A pH of 4.5 is ideal for the reaction.
If the pH is low or the solution is too acidic, the reaction slows down in the...
Preparation of 1° Amines: Gabriel Synthesis
Strong bases like NaOH or KOH deprotonate the phthalimide to form the corresponding anion, which acts as a nucleophile. Further, the anion attacks an...
Preparation of 1° Amines: Hofmann and Curtius Rearrangement Mechanism

