Sulfonyl esters 7. The second and third sequences in the Trithioorthoformate Reaction

A previous report has established the intermediacy of a sulfide-sulfonate ester in the one-pot conversion of an aryl mercaptan and a sulfonate ester into the corresponding trithioorthoformate. This report describes evidence for the sequential intermediacy of a bissulfide-sulfonate ester and a dithiosulfène in the conversion of the sulfide-sulfonate ester into the trithioorthoformate. A new sulfonate ester is shown to give the highest yield of trithioorthoformate. Key words: single electron transfer, sulfonate esters, sulfenes.