An improved procedure for the preparation of 1-(methylthio- and phenylthio)vinyllithium reagents utilizing 2-methoxyalkyl sulfides was developed and their reactions with ketones, aldehydes, oxiranes, and alkyl halides were studied.
Alkenyl aryl sulfoxides could be alkylated stereoselectively via their lithium salts to afford α-alkylated (E)-alkenyl sulfoxides. Reduction of the sulfoxides to the corresponding sulfides followed by nickel–phosphine complexes catalyzed coupling reaction with Grignard reagents gave trisubstituted olefins.