The direction of alkaline hydrolysis of N-(2,2,2-trichloro-1-R-ethyl)arenes
ulfonamides depends on the R substituent in the alpha -position with respec
t to the nitrogen atom. Substituents R having an n-donor heteroatom X promo
te cleavage of the C-N and C-X bonds to release the corresponding sulfonami
de, Alkaline hydrolysis of N-(1-aryl-2,2,2-trichloroethyl)arenesulfonamides
occurs chemoselectively at the trichloromethyl group. This reaction can be
regarded as a preparative route to N-arylsulfonyl-alpha -arylglycines.