Condensation with ketones and aldehydes yields the corresponding N-tert-butanesulfinyl aldimines and ketimines. These intermediates are more resistant to hydrolysis than other imines but more reactive towards nucleophiles. A nucleophile adds diastereoselectively over the imine group in an electrophilic addition with the tert-butanesulfinyl group acting as a chiral auxiliary. This tert-butanesulfinyl group is also a protecting group. On addition of hydrochloric acid the tert-butanesulfinyl group is removed, forming the chiral primary ammonium salt or amine (from aldehyde precursor) or the chiral secondary amine (ketone precursor).
Typical nucleophiles are Grignard reagents, organozinc compounds, organolithium compounds, and enolates.
Chiral sulfinimines as intermediates for the asymmetric synthesis of amines have also been developed by Franklin A. Davis.