Application of β-Hydroxysulfoximines in catalytic asymmetric phenyl transfer reactions for the synthesis of diarylmethanols

[GRAPHICS] Enantiomerically enriched diarylmethanols have been prepared by catalyzed asymmetric phenyl transfer reactions onto aromatic aldehydes with use of readily available beta-hydroxysulfoximines as catalysts. As the aryl source, combinations of diethylzinc with either diphenylzinc or triphenylborane have been applied affording aryl phenylmethanols with up to 93% ee in good yields. Various functionalized aldehydes and heterocyclic substrates are tolerated, yielding synthetically relevant products.