Catalytic stereoselective alkene aziridination with sulfonimidamides

Diastereoselective copper-catalyzed alkene aziridination has been investigated using chiral nitrenes generated from sulfonimidamides in the presence of an iodine(III) oxidant. Starting from a stoichiometric amount of the substrates, the corresponding aziridines were isolated with excellent yields of up to 96%. Good levels of asymmetric induction were obtained in the case of electron-poor olefins, with an optimal de of 94% being reached starting from tert-butyl acrylate. Matching and mismatching effects were also observed upon the use of chiral copper catalysts for the aziridination of styrene.