Should anionised benzylic sulfones be considered as carbenoids?

Na-Hg reduction of benzyl sulfones 1c-e in aprotic solvent conditions affords stilbenes 4c-e, an olefination process best explained by assuming that the corresponding sulfone carbanion, which was formed under these conditions, is decomposed into a carbene species. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.