Hard Acid and Soft Nucleophile Systems. 3.1 Dealkylation of Esters with Aluminum Halide-Thiol and Aluminum Halide-Sulfide Systems

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00323a004

Benzyl and methyl esters of aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids have been easily cleaved on treatment with aluminum halide and ethanethiol to give parent carboxylic acids in quantitative yields.A new combination of aluminum halide with dialkyl sulfide has been found to make up a powerful deesterification reagent system useful for general esters.