Methylthiomethyl p-tolyl sulfone (1) was conveniently alkylated to give mono- and dialkylated products (2 and 4). Reaction conditions for the trasformation of 2 and 4 into aldehydes (3) and ketones (5), respectively, were exploited.
An MT-sulfone group was converted to a trifluoromethyl group by treatment with IF5 after an alkylation reaction. Therefore, an MT-sulfone anion can be used as a trifluoromethyl anion equivalent. The formal asymmetric Michael-addition of a trifluoromethyl anion to crotonaldehyde was also performed.