Andrea Bomben, Maurizio Selva and Pietro Tundo
At 180–210 °C, α-methylene sulfones (both benzyl aryl and alkyl aryl sulfones, RCH2SO2AR: R = Ph, p-ClC6H4, Ar = Ph, p-ClC6H4, p-MeC6H4, and R = Me, Ar = Ph, p-ClC6H4, p-MeC6H4) react with dimethyl carbonate to yield the corresponding mono-C-methyl derivatives [RCH(CH3)SO2Ar] in a selectivity >99%, at conversions of 76–99% (isolated yields: 97–92%).