A variety of
N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines were reduced with NaBH
4 in THF containing 2% water toprovide the corresponding secondary sulfinamides in high yield and diastereoselectivity. By using thesame sulfinyl imine starting materials and changing the reductant to L-Selectride, the stereoselectivitycould be efficiently reversed to afford the opposite product diastereomer in high yield and selectivity.