Studies on the Base-Catalyzed Solvolysis of Propane-2-sulphonic Acid P-Cresylester

Products of the reaction of propane-2-sulphonic acid p-cresylester with sodium butoxide in butanol are the sodium salt of propan-2-sulphonic acid, di-n-butyl ether, p-cresyl-n-butyl ether and p-cresol. The reaction proceeds via propane-2-sulphonic acid n-butylester which is formed from the starting compound by an elimination-addition (sulphene) mechanism. The elimination step is an E1-cB reaction.