Enolates were generated from α,β-epoxy sulfoxides using lithium dimethylcuprate as an electron-transfer reagent. The enolates were trapped with several electrophiles, in which aldehydes reacted with the generated enolates giving aldols in good yields with high regioselectivity.
The aldols are synthesized from three compoments (1-chloroalkyl phenyl sulfoxide and two kinds of carbonyl compounds and ) through α,β-epoxy sulfoxides using lithiumdimethylcuprate as an electron-transfer reagent.