Mechanism of the reaction of sodium hydroxide and nitrobenzyl sulphones

ABSTRACT

Aqueous sodium hydroxide reacts with [[[4-nitrogphenyl] methyl] sulphonyl]]-acetic acid [1] to give 4, 4[']-diformylazoxy-benzene and 4, 4[']--dicarboxyazoxybenzene as the main products, while in 50 percent water-dioxane medium the products are 4, 4[']--dihydroxmyethylazoxybenzene, 4, 4[']--dicarboxyazoxybenzene besides 4-carboxy, 4[']--hydroxymethylazoxybenzene and its isomer. 4-Nitrosobenzaldehyde is an intermediate in this reaction which via a Cannizzaro reaction gives the reaction products. Other 2-, 3-and 4-nitrobenzyl sulphones are studied