Desulfonylation of α-Methylthio-α,β-unsaturated Sulfones. A New Route to One Carbon Homologation of Aromatic Aldehydes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1055/s-1989-27143

α-Methylthio-α,β-unsaturated sulfones 3 prepared from aromatic aldehydes 1 and sulfone 2 react with sodium hydrogen telluride in ethanol to undergo reductive desulfonylation to give vinyl sulfides 4 with certain extent of stereospecificity.A new route to one carbon homologation of aromatic aldehydes 1 to 5 is achieved by hydrolysis of 4 with titanium tetrachloride.