Counteranion-mediated dynamic kinetic asymmetric fluorination to access sulfur-stereogenic center
Sulfonimidoyl fluorides serve as versatile click linkers and have demonstrated significant utility in the construction of S-stereogenic centers for drug discovery and organic synthesis. Although several established methods enable stereoselective access to these aza−sulfur compounds, achieving direct enantiocontrol in the formation of S(VI)–F bonds remains challenging. Herein, we present a highly efficient strategy to synthesize sulfonimidoyl fluorides through the dynamic kinetic asymmetric fluorination at mild reaction conditions. This one-pot process, involving sequential direct fluorination, hydrolysis and asymmetric fluorination, delivers a wide range of enantioenriched S(VI) compounds with high enantioselectivities. This protocol establishes an ideal platform for concise synthesis of structurally diverse array of S−chirogenic motifs via stereospecific transformations. Mechanistic studies suggest that the steric hindrance and hydrogen-bonding between substrate and phosphate anion are responsible for enantiocontrol. The authors present a highly efficient strategy to synthesize sulfonimidoyl fluorides through dynamic kinetic asymmetric fluorination at mild reaction conditions. This one-pot process, involving sequential direct fluorination, hydrolysis, and asymmetric fluorination, delivers a wide range of enantioenriched S(VI) compounds with high enantioselectivities.
Authors
- Wen‐Yan Tong
- Xiaodong Xiong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6357-7398)
- Junliang Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4636-2846)
- Jiye Shu
- Zhihuang Chen
Institutions
- Nanchang University (CN)
- Fudan University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-07-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-76036-y
- Primary Topic
- Fluorine in Organic Chemistry
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province