N‐Trifluoromethylthiophthalimide: A Stable Electrophilic SCF3‐Reagent and its Application in the Catalytic Asymmetric Trifluoromethylsulfenylation

Cinchona alkaloid catalysts in combination with air- and moisture-stable N-trifluoromethylthiophthalimide as electrophilic SCF3 source enabled the catalytic enantioselective trifluoromethylsulfenylation. Thus, a series of α-SCF3 esters that bear a quaternary carbon stereogenic center were obtained with excellent yield and enantioselectivity. Moreover, the products can be readily converted into valuable α-SCF3 β-hydroxyesters.