Bismuth(III) halides: Remarkable doping agents for triflic acid in the catalytic sulfonylation of arenes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(99)01962-0

The catalytic activity of triflic acid has been dramatically increased by the addition of a catalytic amount of bismuth(III) chloride. Thus, the catalytic sulfonylation of arenes using the new system BiCl₃-triflic acid has been successfully carried out while both components of this catalytic system are poorly active or inactive alone, which suggests a synergy between BiCl₃ and triflic acid. Other bismuth halide-triflic acid systems proved to be active.