[1] This reaction mainly refers to the generation of α-hydroxy carbonyl compounds (acyloins) from ketones or esters.
[2][3] The reaction is carried out in a basic environment to generate the corresponding enolate from the ketone or ester.
[11] Regarding the α-hydroxylation of carbonyls, the base first converts the ketone or ester into its corresponding enolate.
Then, the enolate anion as a nucleophile attacks the oxygen atom of the oxaziridine in a SN2 mechanism, forming a hemiaminal intermediate.
The intermediate then fragments into a sulfinimine, and, after protonation, the desired α-hydroxyketone or α-hydroxyester.