Arylmethanesulfonates are convenient latent phenols in the nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(99)00660-7

The methanesulfonyl protecting group for a phenol is conveniently unmasked under the conditions of the S(N)Ar reaction with an activated aryl halide, producing diarylether products directly. The method is advantageous when the preparation of a phenol substrate requires O-protection, since the selection of the robust methanesulfonate as a latent phenol obviates a deprotection step prior to the S(N)Ar reaction.