Highly selective and efficient oxidation of sulfides with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by a chromium substituted Keggin type polyoxometalate

• Published in: Tetrahedron letters 2014-07, Vol.55 (29), p.3923-3925
• Main Authors: Afrasiabi, Roozbeh, Farsani, Mostafa Riahi, Yadollahi, Bahram
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bonding; Catalysis; Catalysts; Chromium; Equivalence; Hydrogen peroxide; Oxidation; Substituted polyoxometalate; Sulfide; Sulfides
• ISSN: 0040-4039; 1873-3581
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2014.05.026

Chromium substituted Keggin type polyoxometalate catalyzed oxidation of various sulfides into the corresponding sulfones in excellent yields with 4equiv of 30% H2O2. Under these mild reaction conditions the sulfide group was highly reactive, and other functional groups were unaffected. •The use of TBA salts of [PW11CrO39]4− as catalyst.•Oxidation of various aromatic and aliphatic sulfides in CH3CN.•Catalytic oxidation by hydrogen peroxide.•Oxidation of sulfide to sulfone by (TBA)4[PW11CrO39]·3H2O.•High to excellent yields and selectivity for giving sulfones. The catalytic oxidation of sulfides into the corresponding sulfones by a chromium substituted Keggin type polyoxometalate, (TBA)4[PW11CrO39]·3H2O, was achieved using mild reaction conditions. Excellent yields were obtained using four equivalents of 30% H2O2. Under these reaction conditions, the sulfide group was highly reactive and other functional groups such as hydroxyl or a double bond were unaffected. Using a commercially available, eco-friendly, and cheap oxidant, mild reaction conditions, operational simplicity, practicality, short reaction times, high to excellent yields, and excellent chemoselectivity are some of the advantages of this catalytic system.