Equilibrating mixtures of allylic azide-containing allylic alcohols or allylic 2-tolylsulfonylacetic esters undergo Johnson–Claisen or Ireland–Claisen rearrangement reactions to give unsaturated γ-azidoesters and -acids, respectively. Decarboxylation of the acids under basic conditions gives azidosulfones, with moderate to high diastereoselectivity.

A novel route to the synthesis of 3-(tolylsulfonyl)-4,5-cis-disubstituted γ-lactams using a diastereoselective palladium-catalysed intramolecular allylation of amino acid-derived allylic carbonates has been developed.