REACTIONS OF ALKENES AND ω-PHENYLALKENES WITH SULFUR TRIOXIDE; SULFONATION AND FRIEDEL-CRAFTS TYPE OF CYCLIZATION

Abstract
Reaction of alkenes with SO3 leads to the formation of β-sultones, carbyl sulfates, alkenesulfonic acids and γ-sultones, depending on the alkene structure and on the reaction conditions. The high selectivity for the cyclisation to 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene sulfonic acid derivatives on reaction of well chosen ω-phenylalkenes with SO3 infers the occurrence of a relatively fast equilibrium between ω-phenyl-m,n- and the ω-phenyl-n,m-alkanesultone intermediate.