tert-Butyl Cation Formation in the Hydrolysis of 2-Methyl-2-propanesulfonyl Chloride, the Simplest Tertiary Alkanesulfonyl Chloride

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00114a036

Evidence is presented that only significant reaction of 2-methyl-2-propanesulfonyl chloride (1) (a) in water over the pH range 3.5-13.0 or (b) in methanol-chloroform-d is an ionization to the tert-butyl cation (2) and the chlorosulfite anion (ClSO2(-)), followed by further reactions of these species.The organic products include isobutylene (3), tert-butyl chloride (4a), tert-butyl alcohol (4b), and, at high pH, 2-methyl-2-propanesulfinate anion (6) and small amounts of 2-methyl-2-propanesulfonate anion (5).In the presence of barium chloride the rate of hydrolysis of 1 is constant over the pH range 3.5-12.0.