Pyridine and triphenylphosphine oxide activation of sulfonyl chlorides in the syntheses of (E) alk-1-enyl sulfones

This paper describes efficient and new approaches to (E) alk-1-enyl sulfones, starting from sulfonyl chloride/pyridine or sulfonyl chloride/triphenylphosphine complexes in the presence of (E) di-iso-butyl alk-1-enyl alanes.The use of CuCl in the presence of sulfonyl chloride/pyridine complexes or pyridine in the presence of sulfonyl chloride/triphenylphosphine complexes, respectively, results in a remarkable increase in the yields and conversions.