Preparation of olefins and acetylenes via reductive elimination with Sml2-HMPA

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4020(95)00565-P

Reaction of β-hydroxy or acetoxy sulfones with Sml₂ in the presence of HMPA caused effectively reductive elimination to provide olefins. Treatment of enol phosphates, readily synthesized from β-hydroxy sulfones via keto sulfones, under the same conditions efficiently produced mono- and disubstituted acetylenes.