title: Transition-metal-free highly efficient aerobic oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides under mild conditions.
abstract: A highly efficient transition-metal-free catalytic system Br2/NaNO2/H2O has been developed for a robust and economic acid-free aerobic oxidation of sulfides. It is noteworthy that the sulfide function reacts under mild conditions without over-oxidation to sulfone. The role of NaNO2as an efficient NO equivalent for the activation of molecular oxygen was identified. Under the optimal conditions, a broad range of sulfide substrates were converted into their corresponding sulfoxides in high yields by molecular oxygen. The present catalytic system utilizes cheap and readily available agents as the catalysts, exhibits high selectivity for sulfoxide products and releases only innocuous water as the by-products.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, No.158-139, Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116012, China. huazhang@chem.dlut.edu.cn
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chunyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Renhua
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Weiqie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D002625:Chemistry, Organic / Q000379:methods*; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry*; D013454:Sulfoxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D028561:Transition Elements / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D010636:Phenols; D013440:Sulfides; D013454:Sulfoxides; D028561:Transition Elements; D014867:Water; C044702:4-(methylthio)phenol; D010100:Oxygen