Organosulfur compounds, such as sulfoxides and sulfones, are useful compounds in organic chemistry because they are valuable intermediates utilized since long time for the synthesis of fine chemicals and biologically active compounds [1]. Although there are many reported methods for the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides.[2,3] It is often noticed that sulfide oxidation is accompanied by several disadvantages such as long reaction times, inconvenient reaction conditions, expensive oxidants, undesired side reactions at other functionalities and low yields. In continuation of our studies to develop new synthetic methodologies [4], we now report the selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides or sulfones with H2O2 in the presence of PTSA as a beanch top catalyst, promoter by controlling the amounts of PTSA, H2O2 and temprature In summary, Due to the environmental friendly behavior of PTSA with respect to corrosiveness, safety, waste and ease of separation of PTSA, replacement of liquid acids and expensive toxic transition metal compounds with PTSA are desirable in the oxidation of sulfides to the corresponding sulfoxides or sulfones in chemical industry.
