New ligands for manganese catalysed selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides with hydrogen peroxide

Abstract In situ prepared manganese complexes with ligands 1 – 5 have been used in the catalytic oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides using hydrogen peroxide at 0°C in acetone. Using ligand 4 , methyl phenyl sulfoxide is obtained in 55% yield and turnover numbers up to 250, while the formation of sulfone is almost suppressed.