Exploiting Substrate Diversity for Preparing Synthetically Valuable Sulfoxides via Asymmetric Hydrogenative Kinetic Resolution

A detailed study is disclosed on the Rh‐mediated hydrogenative kinetic resolution of α,β‐unsaturated sulfoxides with alkyl and aryl substituents at the α‐, E‐ and Z‐positions of the double bond. This stereoselective catalytic methodology has enabled the preparation of highly enantioenriched (or even enantiopure) alkyl and aryl‐substituted (un)saturated sulfoxides via a simple and efficient synthetic operation. Moreover, the application of the hydrogenative KR to the preparation of valuable optically active sulfoxide‐containing building blocks or biologically active intermediates is described.