Process for the preparation of sulfonylmethanes and derivatives thereof

Claim 1

A process for the synthesis of sulfonylmethane or derivatives thereof of the formula I: M[(RSO.sub.2).sub.2 CH].sub.m wherein M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, quaternary ammonium anion NR' 4 , wherein moiety R' are at least one member selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 8 aliphatic, C 3 -C 8 aryl and C 3 -C 8 alicyclic, wherein R is at least one member selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 8 aliphatic, C 3 -C 8 aryl and C 3 -C 8 alicyclic, and wherein m represents the valence of M; said process comprising the steps of: (a) reacting an ionic carbide with a sulfonyl halide of the general formula RSO 2 X in a polar aprotic solvent, wherein said ionic carbide is at least one member selected from the group consisting of aluminum carbide, beryllium carbide, thorium carbide and uranium carbide, and wherein X is at least one member of the group consisting of Cl and F, and wherein R is as defined above; (b) hydrolyzing the product obtained from said reaction; (c) adding a compound of the formula M y Y m to the reaction mixture before or after said hydrolysis step, wherein M and m are as defined above, and Y is an anion capable of forming an insoluable compound with a cation of said ionic carbide and wherein y represents the valence of Y, M y Y m being an acid H y Y m when M is H and the compound to be synthesized is a sulfonylmethane of the formula (RSO 2 )CH 2 .