CAS: 29771-81-1

Ethyl-2-benzylsulfonyl acetate is an arylating agent that can be prepared by deprotonation of ethyl diethyl malonate followed by the palladium-catalyzed arylation of 2-benzyl sulfonyl chloride. The product, which is isolated as a white solid, has been shown to undergo reductive elimination with sodium borohydride to form the corresponding alcohol. This reaction is regioselective and produces either the (E)- or (Z)-alcohol depending on the position of substitution on the benzene ring. Substitutions can also be made at other positions, such as halides or enolates, but yield decreases in these cases.