Abstract Catalytic properties of a series of iron (III)–salen (salen= N, N′-bis (salicylidene) ethylenediamine dianion) and related complexes in asymmetric sulfoxidation reactions, with iodosylarenes as terminal oxidants, have been explored. These catalysts have been found to efficiently catalyze oxidation of alkyl aryl sulfides to sulfoxides with high chemoselectivity (up to 100%) and moderate-to-high enantioselectivity (up to 84% with ...