Tetrakis-sulphoxides: a new type of phase-transfer catalyst for nucleophilic displacements and alkylations
Abstract
Tetrakis(alkylsulphinylmethyl)methanes have been shown to serve as good phase-transfer catalysts which accelerate SN2 type displacements of octyl bromide with various nucleophiles (thiocyanate, cyanide, phenoxide, and thiolate) in solid–liquid two-phase systems. Alkylation of phenylacetonitrile with alkyl halides has also been carried out in liquid–liquid two-phase systems in the presence of the above sulphoxides to afford the corresponding mono-alkylated products in high yields.