When 2-aminophenylsulfonylacetic acid (3) was heated under reflux in an excess of dilute sodium hydroxide solution, the only product identified was 2-methylsulfonylaniline (6). When 2-nitrophenyl-sulfonylacetic acid was treated under the same conditions, the major products identified were 2-methyl-sulfonylnitrobenzene (7), 2-nitrophenol (8), and orthanilic acid (13); minor products of this reaction were 6 and 3-methylsulfonyl-3'-nitro-4-amino-4'- ...