An efficient and selective aerobic oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides catalyzed by Fe(NO3)(3)-FeBr3

The binary system Fe(NO3)(3)-FeBr3 is a very efficient catalyst for the sel ective air-oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides. Since the oxidation is sele ctive, it may be applied to any type of dialkyl and alkyl aryl sulfide. as well as to substrates of biological interest. It develops in mild condition s, giving a high yield in the presence of different functional groups on th e Sulfide. Other binary systems such as Fe(NO3)(3)-FeBr2 and Cu(NO3)(2)-CuB r2 are also effective catalysts for sulfoxidation. In contrast to previous oxygenation methods, this oxidation requires neither an aldehyde nor a tran sition metal complex. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.