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, ...
