Hydrogenolysis and One-Electron Reduction of Alkoxy Sulfones

Abstract

The readily available 1-t-butoxyalkyl sulfones were converted by hydride reduction into alkyl t-butyl ethers. Reductive coupling with sodium metal or amalgam in an aprotic solvent led to glycol bis-1,2-O-t-butyl ethers. Polyethers such as 18-crown-6 can be synthesized by this procedure.