It has been shown3a-c that o-methyldiphenyl sulfones, when treated in ether solution with n- butyllithium, rearrange to o-benzylbenzenesulfinic acids. This study was successfully extended to substitutedphenyl mesityl sulfones and qualitative effects of different substituents on the migrating phenyl ring were noted. 4 The subsequent transformations of the sulfinic acids to sulfonic acids, diarylmethanes, and chloromercuridiarylmethanes also ...
