Towards Highly Activating Leaving Groups: Studies on the Preparation of Some Halogenated Alkyl Sulfonates

The trichloromethylsulfonyl-, dichloromethylsulfonyl-, chlorosulfonyl-, and fluorosulfonyl esters of a neopentyl-type alcohol have been prepared via sulfonylation or sulfinylation followed by oxidation. The preparative usefulness and potential of the transformations are discussed.