Sulfoximine Derivatives — Their Pharmacochemical Properties, Synthesis, and Potential in Drug Discovery

Currently, pharmaceutical chemists focus on investigating an increasingly wide range of compounds as potential new drugs, including substances of natural origin and those obtained by chemical synthesis. Due to the advancements in the experimental techniques, modern science possesses numerous tools for discovering new types of biologically active molecules. For example, the development of chemical synthesis methods has created a possibility to reach completely new arrays of compounds, as potential candidates of some new drugs. In this context, sulfoximines have quite recently emerged as a promising and versatile class of organosulfur compounds with interesting pharmacological properties. In this article, we present an overview of the key features of sulfoximine functional group, including its unique pharmacochemical profile, that may elevate its potential in medicinal chemistry. We also briefly discuss examples of synthetic approaches to obtain new derivatives containing this functional group, with particular attention to both classical and modern synthetic protocols. Finally, selected examples of biologically active sulfoximines developed by various research groups are highlighted, demonstrating their potential applications in drug discovery.