Oxidation of disulfide (I) with sulfuryl chloride in AcOH at -20 C afforded (4-methoxyphenyl)sulfinyl chloride (II), which was condensed with (1R,2S)-2-phenylcyclohexanol to provide sulfinate (IV) as a single diastereomer. Subsequent condensation with the Grignard reagent (V) produced the chiral sulfoxide (VI). The diethyl acetal of (VI) was then hydrolyzed to the corresponding benzaldehyde (VII) using p-TsOH in THF-H2O. Finally, condensation of (VII) with N-cyclohexylpiperazine (VIII) using titanium tetraisopropoxide, followed by addition of diethylaluminum cyanide, furnished the target piperazinylacetonitrile.