Reactions of Arenesulfonyl Chlorides with Olefins Catalyzed by a Ruthenium(II) Complex

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00169a038

Arenesulfonyl chlorides react with vinylarenes in the presence of dichlorotris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) catalyst and 1 molar equiv of a tertiary amine to form α,β-unsaturated sulfones 2.Only the E isomers of the sulfones are formed.In reactions of arenesulfonyl chlorides containing an electron-withdrawing Cl or NO2 substituent with α-methylstyrenes, 2-aryl-3-(arylsulfonyl)propenes (5) are also formed.Mechanisms for these reactions are proposed.