Selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides by a vanadium-based catalyst using 30% hydrogen peroxide

The vanadium-based catalyst, acts as a homogeneous catalyst for the selective oxidation of various kinds of sulfides with 30% aqueous H2O2. Vanadium-based catalyst was successfully used as the oxygen source for the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides for the first time. The sulfoxides were obtained in a good way to high yields without any detectable over-oxidation to sulfones under normal conditions. Different functional groups including C–C double bond, ester, ketone, acetal, alcohol, and oxime groups are tolerated under this reaction condition. The prepared catalyst was used to achieve a high-efficiency, low cost, ecofriendly and easy to handle protocol for synthesizing substituted sulfoxide derivatives from sulfides. The catalyst could be recycled for up to four runs without significant loss in catalytic activity. A green, efficient and selective approach for the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides and with stoichiometric amount of 30% aq. H2O2 is reported.