Diasterodivergent synthesis of optically pure vinyl episulfides and β-hydroxy thiocyanates from a bacterial metabolite

Diasterodivergent episulfides were chemoenzymatically derived from bromobenzene by sequential toluene dioxygenase dihydroxylation, followed by chemical epoxidation and thiolysis. The epoxide ring-opening by thiocyanate ion under literature conditions rendered the corresponding hydroxy thiocyanates and not the thiiranes as usually observed. Ring closing under carefully optimized conditions allowed the preparation of optically pure thiiranes that are key precursors for the preparation of thioconduritols and pseudodisaccharides.