Methyl (methylthio) methyl sulfoxide was found to react with benzaldehyde in the presence of benzyl tri-methylammonium hydroxide (Triton B), sodium hydroxide, or potassium hydroxide, affording 1-(methylsulfinyl) 1-(methylthio)-2-phenylethylene. Treatment of this product with hydrogen chloride in an alcohol gave the corresponding alkyl phenylacetate in high yield. The whole reaction sequence provides a new method for synthesizing ...
