Alkyl 2,2,2-Trifluoroethanesulfonates (Tresylates): Elimination-Addition vs Bimolecular Nucleophilic Substitution in Reactions with Nucleophiles in Aqueous Media(1)

Alkyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethanesulfonate esters (tresylates), ROSO(2)CH(2)CF(3), react with aqueous base (pH >/= 9) to give the (alkoxysulfonyl)acetic acid, ROSO(2)CH(2)COOH; with the further addition of either a primary or secondary amine or of an alkanethiol, the product is the either the corresponding amide, ROSO(2)CH(2)C(O)NR(1)R(2), or a mixture in which the ketene dithioacetal, ROSO(2)CH=C(SR(1))(2), or the thioorthoester, ROSO(2)CH(2)C(SR(1))(3), may predominate. Kinetic and product studies are consistent with the following: (a) the reaction of tresylates with water is the normal sulfonic ester hydrolysis and (b) reaction with hydroxide is an (E1cB)(rev) process with loss of HF to yield the alkyl 2,2-difluoroethenesulfonate, ROSO(2)CH=CF(2), which rapidly yields the observed products. Benzyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl sulfone reacts analogously. The relationship between these observation with small molecules and those of earlier workers with tresyl agarose is discussed.