SBA-15-Pr-SO3H as nanoreactor catalyzed oxidation of sulfides into sulfoxides

The selective oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides was achieved in excellent yields at 40 degrees C with SBA-15-Pr-SO3H as a recyclable nanoreactor active catalyst and H2O2 as the terminal oxidant. The H2O2-SBA-15-Pr-SO3H system can chemoselectively oxidize alkyl and aryl sulfides in the presence of oxidatively sensitive functional groups such as C=C, -CN, and -OH.