Selective molecular oxygen oxidation of thio ethers to sulfoxides catalyzed by cerium(IV)

Abstract

The selective molecular oxygen conversion of thioethers to sulfoxides is catalyzed by ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) with rate enhancements that are at least three orders of magnitude greater than the uncatalyzed autoxidation of thioethers. Mechanistic studies (including spectroscopic, labeling, uptake, mixed reactant, and autocatalysis studies) of this novel reaction reveal that both atoms of dioxygen are incorporated into product sulfoxide, that a novel oxygen-driven Ce(IV)Ce(III) redox cycle gives rise to the catalysis, and that molecular oxygen efficiently traps a sulfur-centered radial cation of the thioether (produced by Ce(IV) oxidation of thioether) to yield the oxygenated radical cation R/sub 2/S/sup +/OO/sup ./, which, it is proposed, reoxidizes Ce(III) to Ce(IV). The zwitterionic R/sub 2/S/sup +/OO/sup -/ intermediate (persulfoxide) reacts with thioether to yield two sulfoxide product molecules.