Iron(II) triflate as an efficient catalyst for the imination of sulfoxides.

The challenging imination of benzyl-, sterically demanding alkyl-, and heteroaryl-substituted sulfoxides has been studied. Iron(II) triflate was identified as a highly efficient and robust catalyst for sulfur imination reactions. A variety of sulfoxides and sulfides were efficiently iminated with sulfonyliminoiodinanes (PhI=NSO(2)R) at room temperature to give the corresponding sulfoximines and sulfilimines in good yields and with short reaction times.