Phenyltrimethylammonium Tribromide for Selective Oxidation of Sulfides to Sulfoxides. A Convenient Synthesis of Sulfinyl-18O-Labelled Sulfoxide Carboxylic Acids

Various sulfides can be oxidized selectively to the corresponding sulfoxides in high yields using phenyltrimethylammonium tribromide in aqueous pyridine solution. This method allows 18 O-labelled sulfoxides to be prepared with no loss of isotope enrichment of the ( 18 O)water used.