Addition products of arenesulfonyl chlorides to α-methylstyrene in the presence of catalytic amounts of copper(II) chloride and triethylamine hydrochloride underwent fast dehydrochlorination (according to Hofmann's rule) on heating in boiling acetonitrile to give the corresponding aryl 2-phenylallyl sulfones with high selectivity. This reaction underlay a one-pot procedure for the synthesis of new compounds that attract interest as potential biologically active substances, monomers, and cross-linking agents for polymeric materials from accessible starting compounds.

Cascade Synthesis of New Aryl 2-Phenylallyl Sulfones from α-Methylstyrene and Aromatic Mono-and Bis-Sulfonyl Chlorides. -Addition of arenesulfonyl chlorides to α-methylstyrene is accompanied by an unexpected dehydrochlorination of the primary adducts furnishing unsaturated sulfones. -(PUDIKOVA*, A. A.; GERASIMOVA, N. P.; MOSKVICHEV, Y. A.; ALOV, E. M.; DANILOVA, A. S.; KOZLOVA, O. S.; Russ.