The use of (COCl)₂ as Pummerer activator showed substantial activity producing α-chlorinated sulfides that can undergo Pummerer-Friedel Craft cyclization. If the aromatic ring has EDGs in position 3, the reaction follows a different pathway, yielding the reductive chlorination products where the chlorine atom comes from a sulfonium salt.

Org. Lett., 2019, 21, 6903

A rapid and simple method to access unnatural 2-substituted 5-thio oxazolines has been developed. The methodology is based on a Pummerer reaction followed by an intramolecular nucleophilic substitution. The reaction proved to be general, and different substituents, such as alkyl, aryl, alkenyl and functionalized groups, can be used without a significant decrease in efficiency.

Org. Biomol. Chem., 2016, 14, 8474