Iodine-mediated N-benzylation of NH-sulfoximines with alcohols

Abstract

An iodine-mediated carbon–nitrogen bond-forming reaction via the cross-coupling of benzyl alcohols with sulfoximines was developed. By employing I₂ as an activator of alcohols, Et₃SiH as an additive, and Cs₂CO₃ as the base, secondary and primary benzyl alcohols smoothly reacted with NH-sulfoximines to afford the corresponding N-alkylated sulfoximine products in good to excellent yields.