NMR and DFT Studies with a Doubly Labelled 15N/6Li S-Trifluoromethyl Sulfoximine Reveal Why a Directed ortho-Lithiation Requires an Excess of n-BuLi

This work shows why it is imperious to use an excess of butyllithium for a directed ortho-lithiation of a trifluoromethyl sulfoximine. The analysis of mixtures of n-BuLi and sulfoximine 1 in THF-d₈ using {¹H, ⁶Li, ¹³C, ¹⁵N, ¹⁹F} NMR experiments at low temperatures reveal that a first deprotonation occurs that leads to dimeric and tetrameric N-lithiated sulfoximine (93 : 7). Using an excess n-BuLi (5 equivalents), the second deprotonation on the ortho-position of the aromatic occurs. Six species were observed and characterized on the way. It includes three aggregates involving a sulfoximine: i) a [dilithiated sulfoximine/(n-BuLi)] dimer solvated by four molecules of THF ( Agg2 , 39 %); ii) a [dilithiated sulfoximine/(n-BuLi)₃] tetramer solvated by six molecules of THF ( Agg3 , 39 %); iii) a [dilithiated sulfoximine/(n-BuOLi)₃] tetramer solvated by four molecules of THF ( Agg1 , 22 %). A DFT study afforded optimized solvated structures for all these aggregates, fully consistent with the NMR data.     

Sulfoximines: A Neglected Opportunity in Medicinal Chemistry

Innovation has frequently been described as the key to drug discovery. However, in the daily routine, medicinal chemists often tend to stick to the functional groups and structural elements they know and love. Blockbuster cancer drug Velcade (bortezomib), for example, was rejected by more than 50 companies, supposedly because of its unusual boronic acid function (as often repeated: “only a moron would put boron in a drug!”). Similarly, in the discovery process of the pan‐CDK inhibitor BAY 1000394, the unconventional proposal to introduce a sulfoximine group into the lead series also led to sneers and raised eyebrows, since sulfoximines have seldom been used in medicinal chemistry. However, it was the introduction of the sulfoximine group that finally allowed the fundamental issues of the project to be overcome, culminating in the identification of the clinical sulfoximine pan‐CDK inhibitor BAY 1000394. This Minireview provides an overview of a widely neglected opportunity in medicinal chemistry—the sulfoximine group.     

Synthesis and palladium-catalyzed coupling reactions of enantiopure p-bromophenyl methyl sulfoximine

[reaction: see text] The asymmetric synthesis and chemical modification of p-bromophenyl methyl sulfoximine (2) is described. Starting from p-bromophenyl menthyl sulfinate (5), enantiopure 2 can be obtained in a short reaction sequence involving a well-established substitution reaction followed by stereospecific imination with O-mesitylenesulfonylhydroxylamine (MSH). Palladium-catalyzed Buchwald/Hartwig, Suzuki, and Stille coupling reactions allow a broad variation of the sulfoximine aryl group, which is otherwise difficult to achieve. The incorporation of a p-morpholino-substituted derivative into a pseudotripeptide demonstrates the applicability of the novel sulfoximine derivatives.     

Asymmetric Synthesis of Densely Functionalized Medium‐Ring Carbocycles and Lactones through Modular Assembly and Ring‐Closing Metathesis of Sulfoximine‐Substituted Trienes and Dienynes

An asymmetric synthesis of densely functionalized 7–11‐membered carbocycles and 9–11‐membered lactones has been developed. Its key steps are a modular assembly of sulfoximine‐substituted C‐ and O‐tethered trienes and C‐tethered dienynes and their Ru‐catalyzed ring‐closing diene and enyne metathesis (RCDEM and RCEYM). The synthesis of the C‐tethered trienes and dienynes includes the following steps: 1) hydroxyalkylation of enantiomerically pure titanated allylic sulfoximines with unsaturated aldehydes, 2) α‐lithiation of alkenylsulfoximines, 3) alkylation, hydroxy‐alkylation, formylation, and acylation of α‐lithioalkenylsulfoximines, and 4) addition of Grignard reagents to α‐formyl(acyl)alkenylsulfoximines. The sulfoximine group provided for high asymmetric induction in steps 1) and 4). RCDEM of the sulfoximine‐substituted trienes with the second‐generation Ru catalyst stereoselectively afforded the corresponding functionalized 7–11‐membered carbocyles. RCDEM of diastereomeric silyloxy‐substituted 1,6,12‐trienes revealed an interesting difference in reactivity. While the (R)‐diastereomer gave the 11‐membered carbocyle, the (S)‐diastereomer delivered in a cascade of cross metathesis and RCDEM 22‐membered macrocycles. RCDEM of cyclic trienes furnished bicyclic carbocycles with a bicyclo[7.4.0]tridecane and bicyclo[9.4.0]pentadecane skeleton. Selective transformations of the sulfoximine‐ and bissilyloxy‐substituted carbocycles were performed including deprotection, cross‐coupling reaction and reduction of the sulfoximine moiety. Esterification of a sulfoximine‐substituted homoallylic alcohol with unsaturated carboxylic acids gave the O‐tethered trienes, RCDEM of which yielded the sulfoximine‐substituted 9–11‐membered lactones. RCEYM of a sulfoximine‐substituted 1,7‐dien‐10‐yne showed an unprecedented dichotomy in ring formation depending on the Ru catalyst. While the second‐generation Ru catalyst gave the 9‐membered exo 1,3‐dienyl carbocycle, the first‐generation Ru catalyst furnished a truncated 9‐membered 1,3‐dieny carbocycle having one CH₂ unit less than the dienyne.     

Investigating the reaction of N-carbobenzoxy-O-carbobenzoxy- hydroxylamine with dimethyl sulfoxide: formation of S,S-dimethyl-N-[(phenylmethoxy)- carbonyl]sulfoximine

[Reaction: see text]. N-carbobenzoxy-O-carbobenzoxyhydroxylamine (1a) underwent a thermally induced reaction in DMSO in which there is net N-alpha-eliminative oxidation with tandem oxidative incorporation of DMSO to yield S,S-dimethyl-N-[(phenylmethoxy)carbonyl]sulfoximine. Mechanisms for the formation of the sulfoximine are presented as well as the product characterizations, including the X-ray crystal structure.     

Design,Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and SARs of Novel N‐Substituted Sulfoximines as Potential Ryanodine Receptor Modulators

The sulfoximine group has been evaluated as a pharmacophore. Introducing the sulfoximine structure into medicinal compounds as exciting motifs has brought opportunities in drug discovery. In order to develop new ryanodine receptor (RyR) modulators, a series of phthalamides containing sulfoximine derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated against oriental armyworm and diamondback moth for their insecticidal activities. These studies helped to elucidate the electronic and structural requirements around the sulfoximine motif for insecticidal activity. All new structures were synthesized and characterized by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, HRMS and bioassay and a preliminary structure − activity relationship (SAR) was discussed. The biological assessment indicated that most title compounds showed good to excellent larvicidal activities. Compounds Ia , Ie , and If gave excellent insecticidal activity against oriental armyworm, which showed 100% larvicidal activity at 0.5 mg/L. All compounds showed 100% larvicidal activity at 0.1 mg/L against diamondback moth. In particular, the larvicidal activities of Ie , If , and Ih at 0.0001 mg/L were 50%, 20%, and 40%, respectively, reaching an activity as high as that of the commercial flubendiamide (40%, 0.0001 mg/L). Therefore, Ia , Ie , If and Ih could be considered as new lead structures for the development of new ryanodine receptor (RyR) modulators.     

Sulfoximines: a reusable directing group for chemo- and regioselective ortho C-H oxidation of arenes

Sulfoximines direct: a new protocol for the chemo- and regioselective ortho C-H acetoxylation of arenes in N-benzoylated sulfoximines is reported. The sulfoximine directing group is easily detached from the C-H oxidation product through acid-promoted hydrolysis, isolated, and reused. The meta-substituted phenols are synthesized following this strategy and the stereointegrity of the sulfoximine is preserved in this transformation. C(sp(3))-H acetoxylation of the methyl group is also demonstrated.     

Catalytic,Asymmetric Synthesis of Phosphonic γ‐(Hydroxyalkyl)butenolides with Contiguous Quaternary and Tertiary Stereogenic Centers

A procedure that enables high yielding access to phosphonic γ‐(hydroxyalkyl)butenolides with excellent regio‐, diastereo‐ and enantiocontrol is reported. The simultaneous construction of up to two adjacent quaternary stereogenic centers by a catalytic asymmetric vinylogous Mukaiyama aldol reaction unites biologically and medicinally relevant entities, namely α‐hydroxy phosphonates and γ‐(hydroxyalkyl)butenolides. This is achieved by utilizing a readily available chiral copper‐sulfoximine catalyst showing a broad functional group tolerance for both the electrophilic and nucleophilic reactants. A discussion about potential factors affecting the observed level of enantioselectivity, which stems from the enantiopure sulfoximine ligand, is also included.     

Sulfoximine version of double elimination protocol for synthesis of chiral acetylenic cyclophanes

A new strategy for constructing enantiopure acetylenic cyclophanes is described on the basis of one-pot double elimination reaction starting from dialdehydes and bis(sulfoximine)s. In this case, the conventional sulfone protocol affords poorer yields of the desired cyclophanes. Thus, arylene-ethynylene moieties with terminal sulfoximine or formyl functions are linked to binaphthyl cores and these building blocks are then subjected to double elimination reaction. The desired macrocycles are obtained in up to 35 % yield. The corresponding Sonogashira coupling fails to afford cyclophanes indicative of effectiveness of the double elimination methodology.     

An inhibitor of human asparagine synthetase suppresses proliferation of an L-asparaginase-resistant leukemia cell line

Drug resistance in lymphoblastic and myeloblastic leukemia cells is poorly understood, with several lines of evidence suggesting that resistance can be correlated with upregulation of human asparagine synthetase (hASNS) expression, although this hypothesis is controversial. New tools are needed to investigate this clinically important question, including potent hASNS inhibitors. In vitro experiments show an adenylated sulfoximine to be a slow-onset, tight-binding inhibitor of hASNS with nanomolar affinity. This binding affinity represents a 10-fold improvement over that reported for the only other well-characterized hASNS inhibitor. The adenylated sulfoximine has a cytostatic effect on L-asparaginase-resistant MOLT-4 cells cultured in the presence of L-asparaginase, an enzyme that depletes L-asparagine in the growth medium. These observations represent direct evidence that potent hASNS inhibitors may prove to be effective agents for the clinical treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.     

General synthetic strategies towards N-alkyl sulfoximine building blocks for medicinal chemistry and the use of dimethylsulfoximine as a versatile precursor

The sulfoximine group has great potential as a substituent in drug discovery, as evidenced by two new clinical candidates, and can be viewed as an isosteric alternative to the commonly used sulfone. Our aim was to improve the accessibility of this group by synthesising a diverse range of S-alkyl and N-alkyl sulfoximine building blocks with procedures that are applicable on a practical scale (>10 g). In particular, synthesis of the less well exploited N-alkyl sulfoximines and the use of dimethylsulfoximine as a versatile, commercially available precursor is discussed.     

Rearrangement reaction of N-halo-s-[(1,2-benzisoxazol-3-yl)methyl]-sulfoximine to the corresponding α-halo sulfoximine

The first example of the rearrangement reaction of N-halosulfoximine to α-halo sulfoximine is described.     

[3+2] Cycloaddition reactions of 1-substituted 3,3,3-trifluoropropenes with diazo compounds and nitrilimines – synthesis of pyrazolines and pyrazoles

Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds - 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions of 3,3,3-trifluoropropene derivatives containing a sulfonyl, sulfamide, or sulfoximine substituent in position 1 with...     

Phenoxazine-Dibenzothiophene Sulfoximine Emitters Featuring Both Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence and Aggregation Induced Emission

In this work, we demonstrate dibenzothiophene sulfoximine derivatives as building blocks for constructing emitters featuring both thermally activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties, with multiple advantages including high chemical and thermal stability, facile functionalization, as well as tunable electron-accepting ability. A series of phenoxazine-dibenzothiophene sulfoximine structured TADF emitters were successfully synthesized and their photophysical and electroluminescent properties were evaluated. The electroluminescence devices based on these emitters displayed diverse emissions from yellow to orange and reached external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 5.8% with 16.7% efficiency roll-off at a high brightness of 1000 cd·m⁻².     

Synthesis and Transformations of NH-Sulfoximines

Recent years have seen a marked increase in the occurrence of sulfoximines in the chemical sciences, often presented as valuable motifs for medicinal chemistry. This has been prompted by both pioneering works taking sulfoximine containing compounds into clinical trials and the concurrent development of powerful synthetic methods. This review covers recent developments in the synthesis of sulfoximines concentrating on developments since 2015. This includes extensive developments in both S−N and S−C bond formations. Flow chemistry processes for sulfoximine synthesis are also covered. Finally, subsequent transformations of sulfoximines, particularly in N-functionalization are reviewed, including N−S, N−P, N−C bond forming processes and cyclization reactions.     

New Opportunities for the Utilization of the Sulfoximine Group in Medicinal Chemistry from the Drug Designer's Perspective**

Extension of the medicinal chemistry toolbox is in the vital interest of drug designers. However, the diffusion of an innovation can be a lengthy process. Along these lines, it took almost 70 years before the use of the sulfoximine group reached a critical mass in medicinal chemistry. Even though interest in this versatile functional group has increased exponentially in recent years, there is ample room for further innovative applications. This Review highlights emerging trends and opportunities for drug designers for the utilization of the sulfoximine group in medicinal chemistry, such as in the construction of complex molecules, proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and novel warheads for covalent inhibition.     

Enantioselective synthesis of cyclopropanes that contain fluorinated tertiary stereogenic carbon centers: a chiral α-fluoro carbanion strategy

Chiral transfer: the fluorinated sulfoximine (see scheme; Ts=p-toluenesulfonyl) was synthesized and used as the first chiral fluoromethylenation reagent for the synthesis of cyclopropanes that contain fluorinated tertiary stereogenic carbon centers in good yields, good diastereoselectivity, and excellent enantioselectivity.     

Synthesis and X-Ray Structure of Bis{S-(1-lithio-3,3-diphenylprop-2-enyl)-N-methyl-S-phenylsulfoximine– Tetrahydrofuran (1/2)} Complemented by Model ab initio Calculations of α-Lithiosulfoximines

The gas-phase structure of N,S,S-trimethylsulfoximine 1 and of its monolithiated isomers 2–4 was calculated by ab initio methods. It was found that a Li? C? S? N four-membered chelate 2 is the most stable isomer. The second minimum 4 shows N? Li? O complexation and is only slightly higher in energy. Li-Contacts with the C(α) atom and the sulfoximine O-atom in 3 are energetically disfavored by 6.1 kcal/mol. The two transition states 5 and 6 suggest an interconversion mechanism of 2 to 3 with 4 as an intermediate. A comparison of 4 with the crystal structure of the THF solvate 7 , which was prepared by the addition of BuLi to (±)-S-(3,3-diphenylprop-2-enyl)-N-methyl-S-phenylsulfoximine ( 8 ) at low temperature in THF, demonstrates that the coordination geometry in the solid state is in good agreement with the calculated structure. The (1-lithioallyl)sulfoximine 7 crystallized as a centrosymmetric dimeric aggregate featuring an eight-membered ring with the atomic sequence (Li? N? S? O)₂. The O-atoms of two THF molecules and the sulfoximine O- and N-atoms are coordinated to the Li-atom in a tetrahedral orientation. After metallation, a significant shortening of the S? C(α) bond is observed. Remarkably, only one of the two possible diastereoisomeric enantiomer pairs is found in the solid state.     

Benzothiazines in organic synthesis. Synthesis of fluorescent 7-amino-2,1-benzothiazines

Fluorescent 7-amino-2,1-benzothiazines were prepared in high yields using the palladium-catalyzed reaction of 4-amino-2-chlorobenzaldehydes with a sulfoximine or the reaction of 7-fluoro-2,1-benzothiazines with amines.     

Reversal of stereoselectivity in [5 + 2] pyrone--alkene cycloadditons using a sulfoxide-to-sulfoximine switch. Enantiodivergent synthesis of 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane systems

[reaction: see text] Switching from a sulfinyl to a sulfonimidoyl group allows the reversal of the sense of asymmetric induction in thermal [5C + 2C] intramolecular pyrone-alkene cycloadditions. Removal of the sulfoximine unit from the resulting cycloadducts yields optically active oxabicyclic systems that are enantiomeric to those obtained using the sulfinyl chiral auxiliary.