The Tracer Study of the Reaction of Diphenyl Sulfone-1-14C with Elemental Sulfur Using a Convenient Degradative Method

Abstract The reaction of diphenyl sulfone with elemental sulfur to give diphenyl sulfide and sulfur dioxide at above 300°C was investigated using diphenyl sulfone-1-14C. By the degradation of the product, diphenyl sulfide-x-14C, it was found that no migration of sulfide group took place. β-Naphthyl phenyl sulfone was also subjected to the same reaction, and not only β-naphthyl phenyl sulfide but also di-β-naphthyl sulfide and diphenyl sulfide were found among the products. These observations appear to indicate the reaction to be a rather simple displacement reaction that involves the initial attack of polymeric sulfur radical chain at C-1 bearing sulfonyl function.