REACTIONS OF THE LITHIUM ALPHA-SULFONYLAL KYL FERRATES - SUBSTITUTIONOF THE SULFONYL GROUP OF SATURATED SULFONES BY ORGANOMETALLIC DERIVATIVES

The reaction of alkyl sulfones with organolithium compounds, in the pr esence of catalytic amounts of nickel or iron salts gives, according t o the experimental conditions, not only the dimeric symmetrical alkene s (homocoupling) and those formed by elimination, but also a third kin d of alkene in which one molecule of each reagent has been incorporate d (mixed coupling). A stoichiometric version of the new reaction has b een carried out with higher lithium organoferrates. A mechanism is pre sented.