IMPROVED SELECTIVE SYNTHESIS OF (Z)- AND (E)-1,2-BIS(PHENYLSULFONYL)-CHLOROETHYLENE

The preparation of the title compounds (Z)- and (E)-1, which are synthetic substitutes for the unstable bis(phenylsulfonyl)acetylene and key reagents for the asymmetric preparation of polycyclic ketones, has been revisited and improved. Starting from inexpensive materials such as trichloroethylene, thiophenol, and hydrogen peroxide, (Z)- and (E)-1 are selectively obtained in multigram quantity in 52% overall yields.