Stereospecific Desulfinylation of α,β-Epoxy Sulfoxides with Butyllithium. A New Synthesis of Epoxides and Allylic Alcohols from Carbonyl Compounds

Desulfinylation of α,β-epoxy sulfoxides, easily prepared from carbonyl compounds and 1-chloroalkyl phenyl sulfoxide, with 1 equivalent of butyllithium at low temperature gave epoxides in good yields. The similar α,β-epoxy sulfoxides having an arylmethyl group at the α-position gave 3-aryl-allylic alcohols upon treatment with excess butyllithium at −70 °C. These reactions offer a simple and useful approach to the synthesis of epoxides and 3-aryl-allylic alcohols from a carbonyl compound.