Enantioselective α-tosyloxylation of ketones catalyzed by spirobiindane scaffold-based chiral iodoarenes

Enantiomerically pure iodoarene (S)-2 and its derivatives (S)-3 to (S)-18 with a spirobiindane scaffold have been synthesized. The evaluation of these new chiral iodoarenes as catalysts in the enantioselective alpha-tosyloxylation of ketones was performed using m-CPBA as a stoichiometric oxidant, and the synthetically useful alpha-tosyloxylated ketones were obtained in up to 58% enantiomeric excess (ee). (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.