Lithium aluminum hydridealuminum hydride reduction of secondary and tertiary (C-0) substituted y-sultones or a-alkyl-@'-hydroxy y-sultones yields mercapto alcohols and mercapto diols, respectively, in fair to good yield. These products result from S-0 cleavage of the sultone ring. Primary sultones and a-dialkyl-p-hydroxy y-sultones give predominantly C- 0 cleavage to form sulfonic acid derivatives. 8-Sultones are much less reactive toward the ...
