Abstract Arylsulfonylchlorides, n-hexylarylsulfonates and di-aryl sulfones (ArSO2Y; Y = Cl, OC6H13, Ar') were cleaved under standard conditions by alkali metal amalgams (M/Hg; M = Li, Na, K) to the corresponding sulfinate salts (ArSO2M) and M Y, as shown in Eq. 1. The substrates ArSO2Y in toluene were not cleaved by Li/Hg alone; first on addition of an equimolar amount of i-propanol could conversions of almost 100% be achieved, (Tables I, II, III). A series of six n-hexylarylsulfonates were studied under standard conditions, to establish the influence of the reaction medium and the amalgam on the course of reaction, (Table II). The sterically hindered arylsulfonates ArSO2OC6H13, (Ar = mesityl, 2,4,6-tri-isopropylphenyl) were “anomalous”, i.e. underwent fission at the ring/sulfur bond, as shown by Eq. 2. Table III describes the reductive fission of mesityl-phenylsulfone and dimesitylsulfone. Unter Standardbedingungen werden Arylsulfonsaurechloride, Arylsulfonsaure-n-hexylester und Diarylsulfone (ArSO2Y; Y ...