FREE RADICAL CHAIN ELIMINATION REACTION (E<sub>RC</sub>1). CONVERSION OF VICINAL DINITRO COMPOUNDS OR β-NITRO SULFONES TO OLEFINS WITH TRIBUTYLTIN HYDRIDE
Vicinal dinitro compounds (1) or β-nitro sulfones (2) are converted to olefins in good yields on treatment with tributyltinhydride. This elimination proceeds by way of an electron transfer chain mechanism. The elimination from 1 is nonstereospecific and the elimination from 2 is stereospecific.