N-Sulfonylhydrazones generate sulfinates selectively when treated with a stabilized Wittig ylide in a polar aprotic solvent at elevated temperature. The transition metal and base free decomposition method is applicable to N-sulfonylhydrazones generated from a number of aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes and ketones. In the case of N-tosylhydrazones derived from O-allyl and O-propargyl salicylaldehydes, selective formation of sulfinate occurs over intramolecular [3 + 2]-cycloaddition reaction.