Methanesulfonic acid, alkyl esters

In contrast to phosphorus esters, sulfur esters are usually cleaved at the carbon-oxygen bond with carbon-fluorine bond formation Cleavage of esteri nf methanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesidfonic acid, and especially trifluoromethane-sulfonic acid (tnflic acid) by fluoride ion is the most widely used method for the conversion of hydroxy compounds to fluoro derivatives Potassium fluoride, triethylamine trihydrofluoride, and tetrabutylammonium fluoride are common sources of the fluoride ion For the cleavage of a variety of alkyl mesylates and tosylates with potassium fluoride, polyethylene glycol 400 is a solvent of choice, the yields are limited by solvolysis of the leaving group by the solvent, but this phenomenon is controlled by bulky substituents, either in the sulfonic acid part or in the alcohol part of the ester [42] (equation 29)... 

British investigators (Haddow and Timmis 1951) synthesized and studied esters of the methanesulfonic acid. The most active derivative was the dimethylsulfonic ester of 1,4-butanedione, known as busulfan. Busulfan interacts with the thiol groups of proteins and amino acids some of its metabolites can alkylate the thiols of cysteine, peptides and proteins. Busulfan exerts selective cytotoxic activity in hematopoietic bone marrow cells and inhibits the formation of granulocytes and platelets. It slightly affects the lymphoid tissue. 

Alkyl esters of moderately strong and strong acids, such as sulfate, phosphate, tosylate, and methanesulfonate (Figure 14.16), can serve as alkylating agents. 

Figure 14.16 Alkyl esters of moderate and strong acids (i) sulfate, (ii) phosphate, (iii) tosylate.and (iv) methanesulfonate.

The simplest compound in this series is methanesulfonic acid (1, (X and R = H) R = H). This is a very strong acid and its esters are powerful alkylating agents. 

Are alkyl esters of trifruoromethylsulfonic acid expected to be more or less reactive in Sj l reactions than alkyl esters of methanesulfonic acid ... 

Fragmentation Loss of alkyl by fragmentation of the C-O bond with concomitant double H rearrangement to form the protonated sulfonic acid ion (m/z 97 for methanesulfonates), which then loses water. Loss of the alkoxyl residue (fragmentation of the S-O bond). Formation of an alkene ion from the sulfonate alkyl by a McLafferty-type rearrangement. In aryl esters, the phenoxy ion and the phenol radical cations dominate the spectrum. 

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