An Alternative, Inexpensive Preparation of Phenylsulfonylethylene

Abstract

The reaction of (Z)-1,2-bis(phenylsulfonyl)ethylene with tributyltin hydride gives quantitatively phenylsulfonylethylene and constitutes an alternative and inexpensive preparation of this widely used reagent. The reaction also occurs with silicon hydrides (Pd catalyst) and sodium borohydride but the former reaction is not as clean as with tin hydrides while the latter gives the over reduced product phenylsulfonylethane.