Cyclobutyl phenyl sulfide (1) is a precursor of cyclobutyl phenyl sulfoxide, a reagent extremely useful for the synthesis of spirocyclic cyc1opentanones. l” In our laboratories, we required a method for the large scale production of 1, a compound necessary for the construction of a range of potent glucokinase activators (GKAs)~ that could form the basis of a treatment for type 2 diabetes. Here, we discuss how the difficulties associated with ...