Generation of sulfur ylides by the desilylation of α-trimethylsilylbenzyl sulfonium salts

Abstract

The [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement of sulfur ylides derived via the desilylation of several α-trimethylsilylbenzyl sulfonium salts has been studied. The initially formed ylide was found to rapidly equilibrate with the thermodynamically more stable ylide. In the absence of trapping reagents, a Sommelet-Hauser type rearrangement occurs.