Diastereodivergent Synthesis of 2-Ene-1,4-hydroxy Sulfides from 2-Sulfinyl Dienes via Tandem Sulfa-Michael/Sulfoxide-Sulfenate Rearrangement.

The highly diastereoselective sulfa-Michael addition of thiolates to enantiopure 2-sulfinyl dienes leads to anti or syn 2-ene-1,4-hydroxy sulfides in good yields and selectivities dependent on the reaction conditions in a diastereodivergent process. Synthetic applications of these enantiopure hydroxy sulfides by subsequent sigmatropic rearrangements have been outlined.