Highly efficient and chemoselective reduction of sulfoxides using the system silane/oxo-rhenium complexes

This work reports a novel method for the reduction of sulfoxides with silanes catalyzed by high valent oxo-rhenium(V) and (VII) complexes. The catalytic system PhSiH₃/ReIO₂(PPh₃)₂ (1 mol %) proved to be highly efficient for the reduction of a wide range of sulfoxides in excellent yields under mild conditions. This novel methodology is also highly chemoselective, tolerating several functional groups such as –CHO, –CO₂R, –Cl, –NO₂, and double or triple bonds.