Solvent-dependent, rhodium catalysed rearrangement reactions of sulfur ylides.

Benzyl thioethers undergo rhodium(ii) catalyzed sigmatropic rearrangement reactions with aryldiazoacetates. Depending on the solvent and the electronic properties of the sulfide, the intermediate ylide undergoes either [1,2]- or [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement reactions in high yields.