Reagent-Controlled Highly Stereoselective Difluoromethylation: Efficient Access to Chiral α-Difluoromethylamines from Ketimines

A reagent-controlled highly stereoselective reaction between (S)-difluoromethyl phenyl sulfoximine 1 and imines is reported, and this synthetic method provides a variety of enantiomerically enriched α-difluoromethyl amines. The main pros of this approach include high efficiency, high stereoselectivity, and a broad substrate scope, which is probably achieved through a non-chelating transition state.