Synthesis of aryl benzyl NH-sulfoximines

Efficient synthesis and characterisation of a series of aryl benzyl NH-sulfoximines are described. While N-protected versions of aryl benzyl sulfoximines have been previously described, reports of their deprotection are very limited, presumably due to lability under the typically harsh deprotection conditions which can be employed with the less reactive aryl alkyl derivatives. Use of N-cyanosulfoximines as key intermediates overcomes these difficulties leading to an effective synthetic route to these compounds.