Chlorosulfonic acid as a convenient electrophilic olefin cyclization agent

Among several sulfonic acids studied (MeSO3H, p-TsOH, H2SO4, ClSO3H, FSO3H), the scarcely used chlorosulfonic acid showed to be an efficient agent for electrophilic olefin cyclizations with internal nucleophilic termination, in a similar manner that is well-established with fluorosulfonic acid. Its availability, lower price and relatively lesser handling problems makes ClSO3H an advantageous cyclizing agent particularly for high-scale applications. The stereochemical outcome of these cyclizations has been rationalized.