Abstract A new facile method for direct sulfonylation of phenols was developed. Graphite in methanesulfonic acid (GMA) was used to prepare sulfonylphenols by sulfonylation of phenol and naphthalene derivatives with p-toluenesulfonic acid (= 4-methylbenzenesulfonic acid)(Table 1) and the thia-Fries rearrangement of aryl sulfonates (Table 4). Mechanistic studies showed that the sulfonylation reaction of phenols in GMA occurred through an ...
