Ammonium acetate cyclopropanes

Cyclopropyl sulfones were shown to be obtained either by cyclization of y-p-tosyloxy sulfones 232 with base or by treatment of phenylsulfonylacetonitrile 233a or ethyl phenyl sulfonyl acetate 233b with 1,2-dibromoethane in the presence of benzyltriethyl-ammonium chloride (BTEA) and alkali in good yields. Chang and Pinnick synthesized various cyclopropane derivatives 234 upon initial treatment of carbanions derived from cyclopropyl phenyl sulfone with either alkylating agents or a carbonyl compound and subsequent desulfonylation, as shown below. 

Primary, secondary and tertiary benzylic halides are cleaved with zinc dust in acetic acid or under basic conditions (equations 80 and 81). Benzylic C—N bonds can also be cleaved (equation 82)," with particular ease when quaternary ammonium salts are reduced (equation 83).There has also been a recent report of cyclopropane cleavage with zinc metal and zinc chloride (equation 84). ... 

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