[reaction: see text] A general, efficient, and experimentally simple method for the generation of sulfenate salts has been developed using beta-sulfinylesters as substrates. The process is based on a retro-Michael reaction, initiated by deprotonation at low temperature. Upon treatment with alkyl halides, the liberated sulfenates are subsequently converted into sulfoxides in good to excellent yield. Extension of the methodology to an unprecedented access to nonracemic sulfoxides by introduction of an enantiopure ligand, (-)-sparteine, is also described.

A convenient procedure for the synthesis of highly lipophilic dipeptide building blocks from enantiopure α‐trifluoromethyl α‐amino acids is reported. Coupling reactions at the C termini of the trifluoromethyl α‐amino acids were successfully performed with totally unprotected amino acids without formation of diketopiperazines. The synthesis of a tripeptide through a coupling reaction at the deactivated N‐terminal position was achieved. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)

An efficient iodocyclization reaction of a chiral Tfm-allylmorpholinone provides a straightforward route to alpha-Tfm-prolines and alpha-Tfm-dihydroxyprolines. The methodologies developed are particularly well adapted for gram-scale synthesis of enantiopure compounds.